France Commemorates Vel d'Hiv Roundup Amid Rising Antisemitism
France held a commemoration for the Vel d'Hiv roundup, a tragic event in 1942 where French police arrested thousands of Jews, sending them to Nazi death camps. This annual event serves to honor the victims and keep their memory alive, especially in light of increasing antisemitic acts in France. Recently, a plaque in Paris honoring a family recognized as Righteous Among the Nations for saving a Jewish child during the roundup was vandalized. French authorities, including Deputy Defense Minister Alice Rufo, condemned the act, emphasizing the importance of preserving the memory of those who resisted antisemitism. The Vel d'Hiv roundup was the largest of its kind in France during World War II, involving over 13,000 Jews, including many children. It took decades for France to officially acknowledge its role in these events, with a formal apology issued by President Jacques Chirac in 1995. 
