French authorities arrested an Irish man in his 60s who is accused of making antisemitic death threats against an Australian Jewish couple at a supermarket near Avignon.
The suspect was reportedly arrested on Aug. 26 and placed under judicial supervision pending an October court appearance.
The incident occurred on Aug. 11 at a hypermarket in Le Pontet, on the outskirts of Avignon in southern France. The couple said that the man approached while they were shopping and began speaking with them in English.
The conversation turned to Israel, and the man allegedly said that he was sorry Hitler had not “finished the job,” the couple said. A tourist recorded the encounter.
A man appears to threaten the couple and say that he would “put a f***ing bullet” in the woman’s head, per footage that multiple outlets reviewed.
Serge Paoin and Aurore Bergé, the French tourism and equity ministers respectively, condemned the incident and said that the couple had been subjected to “serious antisemitic remarks” followed by death threats.
Laurent Nuñez, the interior minister, praised French investigators for identifying the suspect, after he was arrested, and said that Jew-hatred must be fought “firmly and relentlessly.”
Avignon prosecutor Stéphanie Aouine said that the suspect admitted to the alleged conduct, expressed regret and said that he had let anger get the better of him, according to the Journal, an Irish publication.
The man faces charges including “apology for crimes against humanity” and conditional death threats and is due to face a fast-track trial before the Avignon criminal court in October. He faces a potential sentence of up to eight years in prison, the Journal and the Irish News reported.
