Europe no longer offers a secure sanctuary for Jewish travelers from Israel
In recent times, Italy has witnessed a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents, with nearly 877 incidents reported in 2024, almost double the 454 incidents recorded in 2023, according to the Milan-based Antisemitism Observatory.
This sharp rise in incidents mirrors a global uptick in antisemitism, but Italy’s near doubling in reported events within a single year signals a particularly acute local concern. Key recent trends and notable incidents include violent attacks, vandalism, discrimination, and political targeting.
Violent Attacks
On April 25, 2024, during Liberation Day celebrations in Milan, a group of North African youths attacked Jewish veterans with physical violence. In late July 2025, a visibly Jewish man and his son were assaulted in Milan by a mob yelling antisemitic slogans.
Vandalism
Several synagogues have been vandalized in recent months. In January 2025, a synagogue in Bologna was attacked with fireworks and Molotov cocktails. In Rome, in June 2025, Nazi slogans were painted on a synagogue. A mural depicting Holocaust survivors in Milan was defaced with scratches over their faces and Jewish stars in November 2024.
Discrimination
An Israeli Jewish couple was denied a stay at a hotel in Selva di Cadore in November 2024, with the manager accusing Israelis of “genocide.”
Political Targeting
There are reports of antisemitic hostility towards Israel supporters in Italy, including harassment of the Israel honorary consul and far-left political antagonism linked to antisemitism since October 2024.
Bruno Gazzo, president of the Federation of Italy-Israel Associations, has signed a document condemning the aggression against a father and son who were insulted and beaten because they were wearing a kippah. Davide Romano, the director of the Jewish Brigade Museum in Milan, has made an appeal to the authorities and the judiciary to promptly identify and punish anti-Semitic racists.
Romano emphasizes that there is currently a situation of growing concern regarding anti-Semitic incidents in Italy. He stated that these security protocols have the effect of limiting Jews and making them feel like second-class Italian citizens. The incident, which occurred near Lainate on the Milan Lakes motorway, was particularly severe compared to other reported incidents.
Mauro, a young Italian Jew, has expressed concern about the growing trend of anti-Semitic incidents and does not want it to take hold. Romano also expressed concern about the growing trend of anti-Semitic incidents in Italy and their impact on the traditional hospitality of Milan.
The aggression was sparked by a six-year-old boy wearing a kippah. The incident is being investigated by Digos, and the recording of the incident was posted on social media.
Romano and Gazzo both feel that Italian citizens of Jewish faith are treated like second-class citizens due to security protocols that limit their activities. They urge politicians, especially those on the left, to handle certain slogans with care, as their danger is no longer just a theory but a fact recorded in the daily chronicles of attacks and assaults.
Reporting platforms and antisemitism observatories urge the public to document and report anti-Semitic acts to help combat this rise.
- Social media has been instrumental in spreading reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Italy, with videos like the one recording the attack on a father and son wearing a kippah gaining widespread attention.
- The entertainment industry, often a platform for expression and discussion, has been urged to be more sensitive to themes related to Judaism and anti-Semitism, following accusations of political targeting and antagonism towards Israel supporters in Italy.
- General news outlets and crime-and-justice blogs have been filling up with reports of vandalism targeting Jewish establishments and individuals, such as the defacement of a mural depicting Holocaust survivors in Milan and the attacks on synagogues in Bologna and Rome.
