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French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie arrives, on June 28, 2008, in front of the 19th Paris district city hall, not far from the street where 17-year-old Rudy Haddad was severely beaten by a gang of youths.
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PARIS (EJP)---French Interior Minister Michèle Alliot-Marie made a visit on Saturday in Paris’s 19th district where a Jewish teenager was severely beaten by a gang of youths with metal bars on June 21.
The minister, who reviewed police reinforcements in the area, said she was waiting "'the results of the investigation" to come to a conclusion on the anti-Semitic character of the aggression.
The 19-year-old Rudy Haddad was severely beaten by a group of youths of black African origin after leaving a Lubavitch synagogue located in the multi-ethnic area.
He came out of a 36-hour coma last Monday.
Speaking to the press, Minister Alliot-Marie said the attack might have an "anti-Semitic connotation" because the victim "was wearing distinctive signs of his religion,” notably a kippah or skullcap.
She noted that after a fall of 38 percent of the number of anti-Semitic acts in 2007 in comparison with 2006, "this type of attack has dropped by 25 percent since the beginning of this year."
In the 19th district of the capital, 12 anti-Semitic aggressions took place since January, compared to 28 during the same period in 2007.
Paris prosecutor Jean-Claude Marin said Rudy Haddad was beaten after taking part in street brawls between Jewish teenagers and youths of north African and sub-Saharan descent.
Five minors, who were held for questioning as witnesses following Saturday's attack, have been released without charge.
Police reinforcements have been deployed in the area.
The French prosecutor also said anti-Semitic insults were shouted during the aggression.
