It seems that driving a vehicle into pedestrians has become a new Christmas tradition in the last few years. The custom in Europe is to target shoppers in Christmas markets, while Christmas parades are the favored venue in the USA.

The incident in Marseille described below is unusual in two respects: the driver who was targeting pedestrians and other vehicles was a woman, and she embarked on her Christmas revel on the open road.

Oh, and she’s mentally ill. What a surprise!

Many thanks to Gary Fouse for translating this article from Le Figaro:

Marseille: Woman tries to crash into several vehicles, then shouts “Allahu Akhbar” during her arrest

by Guillaume Poingt
December 24, 2021

The suspect, 34, was stopped by police with a copy of Koran in her hand. There were no injuries.

A 34-year-old woman, Asma B., was arrested Wednesday, 22 December around 14:30 after trying to deliberately collide with several vehicles on a pass in the Calanques massif, in the 9th district of Marseille, Le Figaro learned from a source close to the case.

Known to police (for destruction of private property) but unknown to national intelligence, the suspect — veiled — shouted, “Allahu Akhbar” several times during her arrest. Holding a Koran in her hand, she bragged of having “acted well” but also of being “in contact with terrorists”.

“If he approaches, you squash him!”

A few minutes before her arrest, several drivers called police to report the presence of this woman praying at the side of the road, close to a vehicle parked dangerously at the Gineste pass, a winding road connecting Marseille and Cassis.

Just after this prayer, the 30-something took the wheel of her vehicle then tried to deliberately crash into other drivers. Thinking that the woman driver wanted to kill herself, an individual got out of his car to try and establish a dialogue with her. But on approaching, he noticed that she was in a telephone conversation on speaker with a man who ordered her: “If he approaches, you squash him!”. The woman driver then attempted to crash into the pedestrian, missing him.

Taken into custody, Asma B. was brought to the emergency room after feeling ill. She was then hospitalized in the psychiatric ward. Formerly residing in Limoges, the subject had previously spent time in a psychiatric hospital in March 2019 due to a “delirious and paranoid” state. Investigations continue.