"The Jews, we kill them": victim of an anti-Semitic attack in Aubervilliers, Youness tells

The Bobigny court did not hesitate to reclassify his “assault with aggravating circumstances” as “assault on the grounds of religion”.

The judges thus recognized the anti-Semitic nature of the violence to which Youness, 26, was the victim.

This Monday Mohamed, 21, was sentenced to one year in prison to which is added the revocation of two six-month reprieve.

On September 2, around 8:30 p.m., Youness returned home to Aubervilliers (Seine-Saint-Denis).

As usual, he crosses the Quatre-Chemins district on foot, where street vendors hail passers-by.

As they enter rue Paul-Bert, three strangers come towards him.

One, more threatening, calls out in Arabic: "Dirty Jew!"

Give your money! ”

These words spoken from the start will justify the anti-Semitic nature of the aggression.

A Star of David and a "hated" around the neck

Youness, big black eyes and a dark complexion, is of Algerian descent and could blend in with the crowd.

But one detail sets it apart.

Attached to its neck is a small Star of David and the Hebrew letter "hated"

.

These discreet medals catch the attention of one of the onlookers who tries to grab the chain.

He pricks the point of the knife on Youness' chest, who dodges and puts his hand on his neck.

A few drops of blood stain his shirt.

But nothing serious.

The other man also takes out a cutter and, after breaking a can, waves the shard in front of Youness' eyes.

They are joined by a third individual who in turn exhibits a knife.

Night is beginning to fall in this little street a little away from the hustle and bustle of Quatre-Chemins.

No one is there to lend a hand to Youness despite his pleas for help.

The three assailants steal his necklace but also his bag which contains money, papers and telephone.

They run away.

The incident could end there but Youness goes in pursuit of his attackers.

He wants to get his medals and his papers back.

He finds his attacker in a fast food restaurant

The trio and their victim rush into the rue des Cités, end up in the avenue de la République.

Animated with unusual courage, Youness even tries to reason with his attackers, while calling on passers-by to help.

He ends up losing track of the thieves, until he takes refuge in a fast food restaurant.

“I found myself face to face with one of my attackers.

I grabbed it then.

I asked those around me to call the police because I had been robbed, ”he says.

In the snack, everyone seems frozen.

"They were afraid of reprisals, I think", wants to believe the young man, magnanimous.

A police patrol accidentally passes in the vicinity.

Apologies to court

One of Youness's attackers is arrested.

He is homeless and is only 21 years old.

Originally from Morocco, without papers, he had already been arrested for four attacks with a knife.

In court, he will apologize to the victim: "Jews and Arabs are the same."

On the day of the attack, he had on the contrary blurted out: "We Jews are being killed."

By attacking Youness, he ignored the very particular course of his victim.

For three years, the young man has started a rare process.

Muslim, he chose to convert to Judaism.

"This corresponds to my spiritual quest," he slips.

He counted about twenty conversions of Muslims at the consistory, this institution responsible for managing the Jewish cult in France.

"Fear was a feeling I didn't know"

The assault deeply upset him, but it did not change his plan.

"It made me stronger even more," he smiles shyly.

I am told that I had a baptism of fire with this assault.

I thought that thanks to my facies, my culture of origin, this kind of thing could not happen to me.

Fear was a feeling I didn't know. ”

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The medico-judicial unit (UMJ) which examined him established a total incapacity for work (ITT) of 10 days due to the psychological trauma suffered.

Youness no longer wears a Star of David.

He also wants to leave Aubervilliers to go to Paris: "I will feel more secure there," he explains.

He continues his process of conversion in connection with the consistory.

“I then plan to do my Alyah

.

But I had this desire long before my attack. ”

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