Vandals have defaced a mural in Italy that depicted a survivor of the October 7 attack, as reported by the Antisemitism Observatory in Milan. The vandalism of the mural is seen as a stark example of the increasing antisemitism in Italy, particularly over the past year.
According to Stefano Gatti, a researcher at the observatory, incidents of antisemitism have surged from around 30 a week to 80 or 90 a week in the last year. Gatti described the rise in antisemitic acts as “overpowering” and noted a shift from online platforms to real-world actions. These acts include graffiti, insults, intimidation, and aggression, although no physical harm cases have been reported thus far.
Gatti highlighted troubling incidents such as a rabbi being followed by a person wielding a screwdriver in Genoa and a restaurant owner expressing agreement with Hitler’s actions towards European Jews to diners he did not realize were Jewish. He underlined that such events have not been seen on this scale since the end of World War II, emphasising the need for clear condemnation from local authorities to combat the growing phenomenon.
The mural that was targeted, titled “October 7th, Escape” by AleXsandro Palombo, depicted Vlada Patapov fleeing the Hamas attack. The vandals removed the figure’s head and legs from the artwork near Milan’s state university. Palombo condemned the vandalism, stating that those behind it were not advocating for Palestine’s liberation but were extremist movements radicalising society.
The artist stressed the importance of keeping the memory of the Hamas massacre alive to serve as a warning against Islamist terrorism and religious fundamentalism. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the ongoing struggle against antisemitism and extremism in Italy and beyond.