The Porto Israeli community condemned the act of vandalism and called it an expression of hatred.
Israeli Esther Bautara, owner of a restaurant in Porto, also told RTP “It is sad that we have been the target of sabotage since the beginning, since the beginning of this war.”
However, the Porto Synagogue was not the only target of vandalism in the Iberian Peninsula. In the center of the Spanish capital, a synagogue – the exact location of which has not been revealed for security reasons – was vandalized with graffiti with anti-Semitic messages that read “Free Palestine” across a Star of David.
According to a Spanish newspaper last week, Spain’s interior ministry raised its anti-terror alert to level 4, the second most serious level of 5, after the so-called “Friday Rage”. and an attack on a high school in Arras, northern France, where a teacher was stabbed to death, shouting “Allahu Akbar”, “God is great” in Arabic.
Tension in France, “home” of many Jews and Muslims
Tensions are rising on the streets of major European cities as Israel’s attacks on Gaza intensify, with peaceful demonstrations calling for an end to the violence in Gaza..
According to French Interior Minister Gérard Dorman, since Hamas’s surprise attack on Israel on October 7, France recorded around 102 arrests for anti-Semitic acts or support for terrorism. The information was revealed on Monday. The conflict in the Middle East had direct consequences on French territory, which went on emergency alert last Friday.
Security in France has been strengthened since the conflict began last week. According to the French Ministry of the Interior, About ten thousand police officers are currently monitoring more than 500 places considered “sensitive” such as synagogues and schools. French Interior Minister Gérald Dormanin told a television program last week that “in front of the synagogues, there are a lot of people making threats.”
In this sense, on Thursday, the French police banned the use of tear gas to disperse the protesters because the pro-Palestinian demonstrations could “cause public disorder”. This, after allowing a pro-Israel demonstration in Paris on Monday.
In other European cities – London or Berlin – with a strong presence of the Jewish community, the authorities have strengthened the security of schools and Jewish temples. According to the British press, the Jewish community has reported an increase in anti-Semitic incidents in London, where some schools suspended classes this week amid fears of rising tensions. In the United Kingdom, “105 anti-Semitic incidents and 75 crimes were recorded” between September 30 and October 13, according to the data. BBC.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deemed the actions “abhorrent” and pledged to invest three million pounds, nearly three and a half million euros, to strengthen the security of Jewish institutions such as schools and synagogues.
“Palestine shall be free from the river to the sea”
British Home Secretary Suella Braverman last week condemned hate speech in support of Hamas, calling for the “full force of the law” to be used to crack down on pro-Hamas demonstrations. slogan It was used by protesters this weekend in the London capital.
The slogan has been taken up by Islamists, including Hamas, and has become a staple of anti-Semitic discourse. To hear this shouted in public is alarming not only to Jews, but to all decent people. Those promoting hate on Britain’s streets need to realize that our tolerance has limits. 3/3
— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) October 16, 2023
oh slogan “Palestine shall be free from the river to the sea” He It has been embraced by Islamists, including Hamas, and continues to be a staple of anti-Semitic discourse. To hear this shouted in public is alarming not only to Jews, but to all decent people. Those promoting hate on Britain’s streets need to realize that our tolerance has limits“This Monday, on her X account, ex-Twitter Suella Braverman wrote.
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