Amid rising tensions in Paris over the beheading of a school teacher, two Muslim women were ‘stabbed repeatedly’ under the Eiffel Tower, Daily Mail newspaper reported.
According to the report, French police have arrested two female suspects after an argument about dogs allegedly descended into violence and racist insults including the words ‘Dirty Arabs’.
One of the Muslim women said the attackers had pulled out a knife after refusing to put their dogs on a leash and slashed her on the skull, arm and ribs.
The victims of attacks have been identified as French women from an Algerian background named only as Kenza, 49, and Amel, who is a few years younger.
Those in custody are described as being white women of ‘European appearance’, who now face ‘attempted murder’ charges, said city prosecutors after the alleged row about dogs – which are seen as unclean in Islam.
‘We had gone out for a walk. At the level of the Eiffel Tower there is a small rather dark park, we took a little tour in it. As we walked, there were two dogs that come towards us,’ Mrs. Kenza told Liberation newspaper.
. ‘The children got scared. My cousin, who was veiled, asked the two women if it was possible to keep their dogs with them because the children were afraid.’
After they refused, ‘one of the two took out a knife, she slashed me on the skull, on the back on the ribs and there was a third blow on the arm,’ said Mrs. Kenza. ‘They then attacked my cousin.’
Witnesses say they heard smears including ‘Dirty Arab!’ and ‘Go home to your own country’. ‘Call the emergency services, she stabbed him,’ was also heard.
Two local shop workers then intervened and held one of the attackers down until the police arrived. The second suspect was arrested later.