The children, aged between 8 and 16, were on a holiday trip and had a reservation to visit the park. The manager initially told some people he was refusing the group access on the grounds of "personal beliefs" before offering different explanations to others.
French authorities moved swiftly to address the incident, with the prosecutor's office in Perpignan confirming the manager's detention. Under French law, discrimination based on religion is a criminal offense punishable by up to three years in prison. The incident has been widely condemned by French officials, including Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, who called the act "unworthy of the Republic."
The event has brought renewed attention to the rise of antisemitic incidents in France, which saw a sharp increase following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza. While official figures show a recent decrease in antisemitic incidents compared to the previous year, the number remains more than double compared to the same period in 2023.