If you thought the wildest part of a music festival in France would be a spilled beer or a mosh pit bruise, think again. Over the weekend, at least 145 people reported being pricked by syringes during the country’s annual Fête de la Musique, a street festival known for bringing music (and crowds) to just about every corner of France. The “vibe”? Summer solstice, late-night dancing, and usually, harmless chaos. But this year, things took a dark turn.

According to France’s interior ministry, 12 suspects have been detained, including four individuals from the southwestern city of Angoulême, and they’re believed to be connected to 50 of the reported cases. In Paris alone, at least 13 incidents took place. Among the victims were a 15-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, both of whom reportedly felt sick after being jabbed. And while authorities haven’t confirmed whether the pricks involved any substances, the fear that this might be a form of “needle spiking”, where perpetrators use syringes to inject drugs like GHB, has put festivalgoers and law enforcement on edge.

Sound familiar? That’s because it is. France, along with other parts of Europe, has seen scattered reports of syringe attacks at concerts and clubs since 2022, sparking waves of paranoia, Instagram PSAs, and official government warnings. And just like before, this latest round of attacks has triggered serious concerns about safety, consent, and the vulnerability of young people, especially women, in nightlife spaces.

“It’s not just a one-off thing anymore,” said Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez, who called the online encouragement of these attacks “completely idiotic” in an interview with CNews. Meanwhile, feminist voices in the country are demanding more transparency and protection. Influencers like Abrège Soeur have been vocal online, claiming that women are being specifically targeted and that the issue is being downplayed in official narratives.

And the response has been mixed. On one hand, authorities are running toxicology tests and urging anyone who thinks they’ve been pricked to go to the hospital immediately. But on the other hand, the lack of clarity, what was in the syringes? Were they all drug-related? Why is this happening again?, has left many with more questions than answers.

In total, the Fête de la Musique saw more than 370 people detained this year, though not all were connected to the syringe reports. Police also confirmed that 14 people were seriously injured during the festivities, but haven’t clarified if those injuries were tied to the syringe incidents or just the usual festival chaos.