Four charged over disruption of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra concert in France

Four people have been charged over disrupting a Paris concert by Israel’s most prominent orchestra, including by lighting flares, French prosecutors tell AFP.

The three men and one woman were arrested on Thursday following the incident at a concert at the Paris Philharmonic hall.

The visit by the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was targeted by pro-Palestinian activists. Several individuals repeatedly interrupted Thursday’s concert, the venue said. The performance ended up going ahead after the disruption.

Videos posted on social media show a protester holding a red flare inside the concert hall with smoke billowing. Other people present were then seen to rush to strike the individual.

“All four individuals involved were formally charged and placed under judicial supervision” after appearing before a judge today, the prosecutor’s office says.

They are suspected of damaging property, endangering others, possession of incendiary materials, organizing a demonstration on public roads without prior notification, refusing to submit to fingerprinting and identification procedures for inclusion in a police database, and violence involving the use or threat of a weapon, prosecutors say.