French Jewish youths.

Three yarmulke wearing Jewish youths were brutally assaulted on Saturday night by a mob of over a dozen who beat them with hammers and Iron bars. The incident took place in Villeurbanne, near Lyon in southeast France. French blogs reported that the crime was carried out by Islamic youths.

The victims were hospitalized suffering various wounds and were subsequently released according to French newspaper L’Express. Police forces have begun a manhunt in search of the suspects.

On Sunday the Interior Ministry said that they believe the assault to be motivated by antisemitism.

Minister Manuel Valls, denounced the attack in a statement calling the act “extremely serious” and “a deliberate attack against our republican model that should enable everyone, without distinction, to live freely and safely expressing his religious affiliation “.

The assault comes just months following the brutal massacre of four by an Islamic terrorist at a Jewish school in Toulouse.

In reaction to the incident, French Jewish artist Ron Agam told the Algemeiner that, “It is about time now for the French authorities to radically search for these Imams and put a stop to the brainwashing on tens of thousands of Muslim kids in France.”

“It is unacceptable that this culture of racism and antisemitism is being tolerated by a significant number of the Muslim community, this culture must stop,” he concluded.