'Demons of antisemitism' still in France: Macron honors Alfred Dreyfus, new statue installed

French President Emmanuel Macron stated that "the old demons of antisemitism have never completely disappeared from our country" during a ceremony honoring Capt. Alfred Dreyfus. A new statue of Dreyfus was unveiled outside France's highest court, where he was absolved of a wrongful 1894 treason conviction. Dreyfus's 99-year-old grandson, Charles, expressed sadness at the resurgence of antisemitism, stating, "I must sadly admit that I would not have imagined, at my age, seeing antisemitism resurface with such virulence in our country." The event occurred amidst a significant rise in antisemitic incidents in France, particularly since October 7, with over 65% of religiously motivated attacks in 2024 targeting Jewish people. The ceremony also followed the discovery of an assault rifle near a synagogue in Sarcelles.