FRANCE: TEEN "INCEL" ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED PLOT TO ATTACK WOMEN

Paris, France – French authorities have arrested an 18-year-old who identifies with the misogynistic "incel" movement, placing him under investigation for an alleged plan to carry out attacks against women.

This investigation by France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (Pnat) marks the department's first case involving a suspect who identifies as an "incel" (involuntary celibate). This online subculture is predominantly made up of men who blame women for their lack of sexual activity and sometimes advocate violence against them.

Suspect Claims Incel Affiliation

The Pnat announced on Tuesday that it had opened a judicial investigation "against an 18-year-old who claims to be a member of the incel movement." He is being investigated for alleged "association with terrorist criminals to prepare one or more crimes against individuals," according to French media.

The suspect was arrested Friday near a school in the central Saint-Étienne region and was found in possession of two knives. Sources close to the investigation told French media that the man had been viewing misogynistic content on social media and was planning to attack women.

Broader Context of Incel-Related Incidents

This arrest follows a similar case last May, when French police arrested a 26-year-old man on suspicion of planning a mass murder in Bordeaux. The Bordeaux prosecutor stated that investigators found evidence the suspect was interested in the incel movement.

In related news, following the recent popularity of the hit Netflix series Adolescence, which features a young UK student involved in a violent form of incel ideology, the French Minister of Education announced last month that the series would be screened in French secondary schools.