A Jewish father and his six-year-old son were assaulted by a group at a service station near Milan on Sunday, where people shouted “Free Palestine” and called them “murderers.” The man was knocked to the ground and repeatedly kicked, marking another incident in a growing wave of antisemitic acts across Europe.
The victim, a 52-year-old French Jew named Elie, said the confrontation started when a cashier noticed their kippahs and began yelling “Free Palestine.”
Elie recorded the attack on video, which shows multiple people hurling insults, including statements like, “Go back to your country, murderers,” “This isn’t Gaza, this is Milan,” and “You’ll end up in hell sooner or later.”
He explained that as he and his son walked toward the restroom, more people inside joined the verbal abuse. At least three individuals physically pushed him, attempting to force him out of the area.
“I fell to the ground, and they attacked like animals, kicking me in the stomach,” Elie told *Il Corriere della Sera*. “One person tried to pull me up to strike my face, but I blocked it. During the struggle, I saw my son—thankfully, a woman had taken him aside and kept him safe in a corner.”
He shouted for the police, which caused the attackers to flee. Authorities are investigating the assault, which has drawn criticism from officials and Jewish groups.
Noemi Di Segni, head of the Union of Italian Jewish Communities, stated, “If simply being visibly Jewish leads to this level of violence—if a family can’t move freely in public—then hatred and antisemitism are spreading dangerously. This isn’t just about Jews; it threatens everyone’s freedom. Upholding respect and dignity for all is the only way to protect society.”
Elie added, “Given the rising hostility toward Jews in Europe, I wasn’t entirely surprised. But I never expected it in Italy, a place I thought was tolerant and safe. These incidents are becoming far too common.”
A May report from the Anti-Defamation League’s taskforce noted a surge in antisemitic incidents in countries with large Jewish populations outside Israel. Attacks on Jewish institutions and individuals have risen sharply, in some cases more than doubling in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Germany saw a 75% increase in antisemitic acts from 2021 to 2023, France experienced a 185% rise, and the UK reported an 82% jump.
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