In a distressing incident captured on CCTV, a 25-year-old Australian woman was seen entering a kebab shop in Paris early Saturday morning, July 20, seeking help after allegedly being gang-raped by five men. The footage, which has gone viral, shows the woman, visibly shaken and disoriented, stumbling into the shop on Boulevard de Clichy, near Moulin Rouge. Her dress was worn backward and partially torn.
In the video, the woman can be seen pleading with the staff for assistance as patrons gather around her to offer comfort. A man who enters the shop is identified by the woman as one of her attackers. The man is briefly confronted by a customer before fleeing the scene.
When police arrived, the woman reported that her attackers were "of African appearance." She was taken to Bichat Hospital for treatment. The kebab shop's owner described her as being in a state of distress, with her dress damaged and her phone reportedly stolen. She was also seen holding her underwear.
The incident occurred just days before the 2024 Paris Olympics. According to French media, restaurant owners sought help after witnessing the woman's condition. Firefighters attended to her following the alleged assault, and she was subsequently taken to a hospital for a medical examination.
The woman, originally scheduled to return to Australia, will remain in Paris to assist with the ongoing investigation. The Paris Prosecutor's Office has launched a major operation, with the second judicial police district handling the case.
The Australian Embassy in Paris is actively coordinating with French authorities and is ready to provide consular assistance. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is monitoring the situation closely. The Alliance Paris police union has vowed to expedite the identification and prosecution of the suspects involved.
