The 17-year-old victim of an attack in Paris woke from his coma. A spokesperson for the Paris Public Assistance Hospital reported Monday that Rudy Haddad was “doing better” and out of an induced coma after being beaten by a group of young blacks Saturday night in eastern Paris. Paris police on Tuesday were still investigating the possible motives behind the beating. Police sources told the AFP news agency that motives linked to interethnic violence between youth groups were being pursued, and that the crime may not have been the result of anti-Semitism. The French daily France-Soir reported Monday that investigators believed Haddad had been involved in a dispute earlier on the day of the attack between Jewish and black boys, and that he was attacked two hours later, when he was alone, by 15 to 30 young blacks, according to varying reports.
On Monday, more than 150 Jewish youths gathered spontaneously for a second consecutive evening near the scene of the crime to show their support for Haddad. The young people were joined by some adults on the Rue Petit in expressing anger and fear at what they describe as growing insecurity due to anti-Semitism in their neighborhood.
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