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| Israeli children refused access to leisure park in southern France | Israeli children refused access to leisure park in southern France |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Manager of zipline facility detained for alleged religious discrimination after group of eight- to 16-year-olds turned away | |
| The manager of a leisure park in southern France has been detained for alleged religious discrimination after a group of Israeli children were refused access. | The manager of a leisure park in southern France has been detained for alleged religious discrimination after a group of Israeli children were refused access. |
| The children, aged eight to 16, were on holiday in Spain and had made a reservation for Thursday to use the Tyrovol zipline adventure park in Porté-Puymorens, near the Spanish border in the Pyrenees mountains, the Perpignan prosecutor’s office said. | The children, aged eight to 16, were on holiday in Spain and had made a reservation for Thursday to use the Tyrovol zipline adventure park in Porté-Puymorens, near the Spanish border in the Pyrenees mountains, the Perpignan prosecutor’s office said. |
| The French prosecutor’s office said the manager initially told some people he was refusing the group access on the grounds of “personal beliefs” before offering different explanations to others. | The French prosecutor’s office said the manager initially told some people he was refusing the group access on the grounds of “personal beliefs” before offering different explanations to others. |
| A message posted on Wednesday evening on the park’s social media said the site would be closed on Thursday owing to a storm, “in order to carry out a complete inspection of the facilities”. | A message posted on Wednesday evening on the park’s social media said the site would be closed on Thursday owing to a storm, “in order to carry out a complete inspection of the facilities”. |
| The park told the group they could not visit. They went to another leisure facility in France with no incident, the statement said. The manager denied any wrongdoing, it added. | The park told the group they could not visit. They went to another leisure facility in France with no incident, the statement said. The manager denied any wrongdoing, it added. |
| “A line was crossed. We are appalled,” said Perla Danan, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. | “A line was crossed. We are appalled,” said Perla Danan, president of the Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions in the Languedoc-Roussillon region. |
| “It started with graffiti, insults and physical attacks and now it’s literally a ban on children aged eight to 16,” Danan said, adding that it reminded her of the “no Jews or dogs allowed” sign during the Holocaust. “France’s values have been violated,” she said. | “It started with graffiti, insults and physical attacks and now it’s literally a ban on children aged eight to 16,” Danan said, adding that it reminded her of the “no Jews or dogs allowed” sign during the Holocaust. “France’s values have been violated,” she said. |
| Jean-Philippe Augé, the mayor of Porté-Puymorens, which has about 100 residents, said “the DNA of our community is based on a sense of sharing and fraternity”. He added that the incident had caused “utter astonishment” in the village. | Jean-Philippe Augé, the mayor of Porté-Puymorens, which has about 100 residents, said “the DNA of our community is based on a sense of sharing and fraternity”. He added that the incident had caused “utter astonishment” in the village. |
| The Jewish Observatory of France also expressed “deep outrage” in a statement on Friday. “Such an act of discrimination, targeting minors exclusively on the basis of their nationality and origin, is extremely serious and undermines the fundamental principles of the republic.” | The Jewish Observatory of France also expressed “deep outrage” in a statement on Friday. “Such an act of discrimination, targeting minors exclusively on the basis of their nationality and origin, is extremely serious and undermines the fundamental principles of the republic.” |
| Discrimination based on religion is an offence punishable by up to three years in prison in France. | Discrimination based on religion is an offence punishable by up to three years in prison in France. |
| There was a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents reported in 2023 after the 7 October Hamas attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. These included physical assaults, threats, vandalism and harassment, prompting alarm among Jewish communities and leaders. | There was a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents reported in 2023 after the 7 October Hamas attacks in Israel and the ensuing war in Gaza. These included physical assaults, threats, vandalism and harassment, prompting alarm among Jewish communities and leaders. |
| This month Emmanuel Macron promised to punish an act of “antisemitic hatred” after the felling of an olive tree planted in memory of a young French Jewish man who was tortured to death in 2006. | This month Emmanuel Macron promised to punish an act of “antisemitic hatred” after the felling of an olive tree planted in memory of a young French Jewish man who was tortured to death in 2006. |
| The subheading on this article was amended on 23 August 2025 to correct the age of the children |