Jewish Cemetery Vandalized in Barcelona   

A Jewish cemetery in Barcelona, Spain, was vandalized on January 25, with several graves in the Hebrew enclosure of the Les Corts cemetery damaged. Headstones were smashed, marble elements cracked or shattered, and some gravestones torn from their bases, according to reports from the Jewish Community of Barcelona (CJB).The CJB denounced the attack as part of a surge in antisemitic incidents in Spain, linking it to increased hate speech, online incitement, and targeting of Jewish sites since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.

In response, all Jewish sections in Barcelona's cemeteries—Les Corts, Collserola, and Sant Andreu—were temporarily closed until January 26 for damage assessment, repairs, and security enhancements.

Barcelona Mayor Jaume Collboni condemned the vandalism as "intolerable," vowing to identify the perpetrators, pursue hate crime charges, and ensure repairs respect Jewish traditions. Opposition figures from the People's Party criticized the closures, advocating for immediate reopening with added surveillance and security measures.

Israeli officials reacted sharply, with the Foreign Ministry calling it a "despicable act" fueled by the Spanish government's anti-Israel policies under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. Israel's chargé d'affaires in Spain, Dana Erlich, stressed that combating antisemitism is a societal duty. The European Jewish Congress expressed solidarity and called for a thorough investigation, highlighting a broader rise in anti-Jewish harassment across Europe.

The incident has ignited outrage on social media, with Jewish advocacy groups pointing to Spain's historical antisemitism dating back to the 1492 expulsion of Jews. Authorities are reviewing surveillance footage and working with the CJB as the investigation continues.