Teen Convicted in Anti-Semitic Attack on Rabbi in Orléans, Faces Deportation

A 16-year-old Moroccan teenager appeared before the juvenile court in Orléans. He is accused of assaulting Rabbi Arié Engelberg in the street on March 22 around 1:30 PM in Orléans, in the Loiret. That day, the man was returning home with his 9-year-old son. The teenager had approached him to ask if he was Jewish. The conversation ended in an argument: insults, spitting, and several blows. According to the rabbi’s testimony, the attacker bit him as he was intervening to protect his child. Subsequently, the teenager was arrested and placed in detention. Licra, SOS Racisme, B’nai B’rith, the European Jewish Organization, the Jewish community of Orléans, and several other associations have joined as civil parties.

At the stand, the young Moroccan maintained his version of events throughout the trial, reports Le Parisien. He insisted that it was the rabbi who had assaulted him and that he had simply defended himself. "It’s even worse than in police custody. He positions himself as a victim, claiming that it was the rabbi who attacked him. He hasn’t admitted to anything at all," lamented Isabelle Levy, the victim’s lawyer, emphasizing the profound impact of the assault on her client’s family. "What affects the family even more is that his son is still not over this trauma," added the lawyer. For its part, the defendant’s defense reminded of the youth and precariousness of their client.

The teenager arrived alone from Morocco after a journey by boat to Barcelona, then by road to France. Since September, he has been living in a shelter. He started school just a month ago. "He speaks a few words of French, but cannot sustain a conversation. He is isolated, without bearings. His migratory journey is extremely fragile," pleaded the lawyer.

The juvenile court of Orléans delivered its verdict at 11 PM. The Moroccan teenager was sentenced to 16 months in prison: 12 months firm for all the facts, and two additional two-month terms for related offenses. The court also pronounced a judicial educational measure lasting two years to support the young man during his detention and after his release.

A sentence unsatisfactory in the eyes of the victim’s lawyer. "It’s a somewhat light decision given the facts," Levy regretted. "Certainly, there is a recognition of the aggravating circumstance related to antisemitism, which is very important, but the sentence remains difficult to interpret. We don’t know what proportion really pertains to this assault."

According to the defendant’s lawyer, the decision rendered is appropriate to the seriousness of the facts and his client’s personality. For now, Bouteillan does not intend to appeal: "I still need to discuss with him, but the objective today is for him to fully engage with this educational measure." The one who will reach majority in October 2026 could be subject to a prefectural order of deportation when he reaches adulthood. "But that’s not up to the court," the defense specified. "These are administrative decisions, but separate from this judgment."