French Jews have to hide their names for fear of discrimination by couriers, taxi drivers, hairdressers and other service workers, Le Figaro reports. According to eyewitnesses, after the escalation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people with Jewish names are increasingly being refused service, insulted or even physically assaulted.
Because of discrimination by drivers or couriers, some French Jews have had to change their accounts on platforms or remove their names from their mailboxes, Le Figaro reported. According to one of the newspaper’s interlocutors, “when your surname is Levy or Cohen, at the moment you’re better off with a pseudonym.” According to the newspaper, since 7 October this year, 1,500 anti-Semitic acts have been committed in the country.
According to a survey conducted in January 2022, identifying oneself as a Jew in a public place in France is a risk factor and a possibility of being subjected to aggression. 74% of French people of Jewish religion or culture say they have at least once encountered anti-Semitic behaviour, ranging from ridicule to physical attacks. 48% of those surveyed sometimes do not risk saying they are Jewish, and 55% of parents ask their children not to wear any distinguishing marks.
Yael from the department of St St Denis says that she was refused service at a hairdresser’s shop where she had been going for more than three years after the owners of the establishment changed. According to her, in a face-to-face meeting, the owner of the salon said:
“I can’t do your hair because I support Palestine and you are Jewish.”
Days after Hamas attacked Israel, a family travelling from Tel Aviv was turned down by a taxi driver at Orly airport. “Dirty Jew! If I took you, I would slit the throats of you, your wife and your children,” the taxi driver told the father of the family. Because of “fear of retaliation,” the family refused to file a police report. Other users of taxi and delivery services have also faced denial of service, insults or unfair treatment on the grounds of anti-Semitism.
The Figaro newspaper also learnt about the illegal imprisonment and beating of Jews by a driver of a transfer service. One of the victims confessed that he also did not go to the law enforcement authorities because his offender had all his personal data.
Incidents also happen at the post office, especially when it comes to sending parcels to Israel.
“They often arrive a long time later, sometimes in poor condition, with the word ‘Israel’ crossed out and replaced by the word ‘Palestine’,” testifies Parisian Rebecca. She said that parcels and letters sent to Israel often do not reach their recipients at all.
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