Virtuosa violinist Julie Berthollet says she is leaving Paris after being robbed TWICE in one day – and condemns the city’s ‘every man for himself’ attitude
- The musician rose to fame as part of a string duo with younger sister Camille
- But Julie said she is now going back to her native Switzerland after her ordeal
- She was robbed twice within minutes when men tried to steal phone and jewelry
- But passers-by ignored the attacks and refused to come to the aid of the violinist
Virtuosa violinist Julie Berthollet has stated she plans to leave Paris after enduring a few robberies just minutes apart last month.
Berthollet, 25, rose to fame when he formed a string duo with younger sister Camille and the couple chose to settle in the French capital, which has long been acclaimed for its vibrant music and arts scene.
But the musician said she is now returning to her native Switzerland after seeing the “every man for himself” attitude on the Parisian streets.
Julie was attacked twice by men who tried to steal her phone first and then her jewelry, but she was most alarmed by the utter lack of interest or concern from the public witnessing the attacks.
Virtuosa violinist Julie Berthollet (pictured) has stated she plans to leave Paris after enduring a few robberies last month, just minutes apart
Julie was attacked twice by men who first tried to steal her phone and then her jewelry as she descended the stairs to a metro station in the French capital
Julie Berthollet, 25 (right), rose to fame when they formed a string duo with younger sister Camille (left) and the pair chose to settle in the French capital, which has long been acclaimed for its vibrant music and arts scene.
Julie told Swiss publication L’Illustré that she was walking along the banks of the Seine on June 22 when a man tried to grab her iPhone from her hand.
She managed to cling to and yell at her would-be mugger, who eventually fled.
‘I have strong hands because of my violin playing, I resisted. I held my iPhone tight and yelled, “Are you crazy? Coward!” “The person left,” Julie said.
But minutes later, she was accosted by another person at the entrance of a subway station.
The second assailant tore off her bracelets and necklaces before brandishing a knife to discourage her from fighting back — as passersby passed their day seemingly without a blink of an eye.
‘It’s every man for himself’ [in Paris]said Julie.
“I don’t have the ability to endure all that environmental violence at all. When you say ‘hello’ to someone in Paris, they take it as aggression.
‘That is not the case in Switzerland. Here the people are polite. They don’t ignore each other.’
Julie said people circled her as she lay on the floor after being attacked with “total indifference” and never came close to attempting to intervene.
She took the train to Geneva in her native Switzerland and spent the journey in tears, both shocked by the attack and the way bystanders completely ignored her plight.
Paris is known as the city of love and the fashion capital of the world, not to mention its reputation for world-famous cuisine and burgeoning art scene.
Socialist Parisian mayor Anne Hidalgo has been widely criticized for the alleged decline of the French capital
A social media campaign earlier this year highlighted the problems Hidalgo faced when disgruntled Parisians began flooding Instagram and Twitter with snaps of trash-covered streets and overflowing bins.
But many believe the city has deteriorated rapidly in recent years, with much of the criticism of Paris’ decline centered on Mayor Anne Hidalgo.
The socialist mayor has promised to clean up the city with a spirit to tackle crime and clear the city’s streets of trash before the capital hosts the 2024 Olympics.
But a social media campaign earlier this year highlighted the problems Hidalgo faced when disgruntled Parisians began to flood Instagram and Twitter with snaps of trash-covered streets and overflowing bins.
The images, accompanied by the hashtag #SaccageParis (Pillage of Paris) contrasted sharply with the demise of what was once one of Europe’s most desirable destinations.