Italian Jews Attacked and Threatened at Sofia Hotel

On August 2, a group of young neo-Nazis attempted to intrude into a hotel in Sofia where Italian Jewish teenagers from Rome and Milan, along with their teachers, were lodged. Leading Italian media outlets, such as ANSA, “Corriere della Sera”, “Sky TG 24”, “Sole 24 Ore”, “Jornale”, “RAI News”, and “La Presse”, covered the incident as reported by BTA.

Reports indicate that the young neo-Nazis gathered at the hotel entrance in Sofia, trying to breach the building and later obstructed access to it. Even after police intervened, the attackers returned to block the entrance again, described by media as a stark display of anti-Semitism in Europe.

Footage of the incident, shared by La Presse, ANSA, and RAI News, shows youths clad in black at the hotel entrance chanting “Sieg Heil” and performing Nazi salutes.

Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, expressed solidarity with the Italian youth affected by the incident. He condemned the act of anti-Semitism, stating the need to combat this form of hatred and discrimination. This was reported by “Sky TG 24” and “Agentia Nova”.

Ignazio La Russa, President of the Italian Senate, also condemned the incident, calling it a “grave episode” impacting Italian Jewish teenagers in Bulgaria. He expressed solidarity with the affected youth, their families, and the Jewish communities in Rome and Milan, emphasizing that anti-Semitism and any form of hatred must have no place in society. He urged for a swift investigation and identification of those responsible.

Victor Fadlun, head of the Jewish community in Rome, labeled the incident as a “shameful provocation,” lamenting that their children cannot travel in Europe without facing violence and verbal abuse from anti-Semites. He urged Bulgarian authorities to thoroughly investigate and bring those responsible to justice.

The Union of Italian Jewish Communities expressed solidarity with the young Italian Jews, highlighting the recurring nature of such incidents with growing frequency. They committed to ensuring that Jewish life can proceed peacefully and safely for Italian and European Jews.

Illustrative photo: pexels-pham-ngoc-anh-170983008-28901674