Jewish father and son attacked in Italy amid rising antisemitism in Europe

Tuesday 29 July 2025 - 16:00

A 52-year-old Jewish father and his six-year-old son were assaulted by a group of people at a service station near Milan, Italy, on Sunday, in an incident that highlights the growing wave of antisemitism across Europe. The attack reportedly began after a cashier noticed that both father and son were wearing kippahs and shouted “Free Palestine.”

The victim, who identified himself only as Elie, is a French citizen who lives in France. He said the mob began shouting slogans such as “Go back to your country,” “Murderers,” and “You’ll end up in hell.” As the verbal aggression escalated, several people pushed Elie and kicked him repeatedly after he fell to the ground.

Elie said a woman protected his child while he was being attacked, and he eventually managed to call for help by shouting “Police!” The aggressors fled as soon as he raised the alarm.

Italian authorities have launched an investigation into the assault, and the event has been widely condemned by officials and Jewish organizations. Noemi Di Segni, President of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, stated: “If being visibly Jewish is enough to provoke a violent attack, then hatred has become normalized, and our collective freedom is under threat.”

The assault is one among a series of recent antisemitic incidents across Europe. According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents rose sharply in 2023, increasing by 75% in Germany, 185% in France, and 82% in the UK compared to the previous year.

Other recent attacks include an Israeli tourist being assaulted in Greece and a cruise ship carrying Israeli passengers being denied docking due to protests related to the Gaza conflict.

These growing incidents reflect a dangerous climate of intolerance, with many Jews now avoiding public expressions of their identity due to fear of reprisal. Elie commented: “I always thought Italy was a tolerant country. I never imagined something like this would happen to me here.”