Image by Getty Images

A Tunisian man who hurled a metal bar at police during a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Paris was sentenced to two months in prison.

The prosecution wanted a one year sentence for the 34-year-old Tunisian national, but the Paris Correctional Tribunal sentenced him to two months in jail and another two months suspended sentence, the news site 20minutes.fr reported Wednesday.

The man, who was not named, has been in custody since July 22 and is expected to be released in the coming days, according to the report.

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

In addition to the incident involving the metal bar, he was convicted also of assaulting an officer at the police station after his arrest and using anti-Semitic language while in custody.

The assault took place July 19 in the center of Paris, when thousands gathered near the Gare du Nord train station for an unauthorized rally to protest Israel’s actions against Hamas.

That weekend, riots also erupted in the northern suburb of Sarcelles, where hundreds of men started fires and smashed the windows of shops at the heavily-Jewish municipality after police prevented them from approaching its main synagogue. Nearby, rioters hurled a firebomb at another synagogue, which sustained minor damage.

During his trial, the man denied any wrong doing, contending that someone threw the metal bar at him, and that he merely gave it to police.

French police have arrested dozens of alleged rioters who were suspected of violence at anti-Israel riots across France and mainly in Paris. So far, five of them have been sent to jail, 20minutes.fr reported.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount