An Orthodox Jewish man and his pregnant wife were assaulted near Venice’s famous Rialto Bridge in a suspected antisemitic hate crime, sparking outrage and a police investigation.
A late-night stroll through one of Venice’s most famous tourist areas turned into a nightmare for an American Jewish couple on Saturday, in what local media are calling a possible hate-motivated assault.
The Orthodox Jewish visitors — a man and his pregnant wife — were walking near the bustling Rialto Bridge when three men allegedly confronted them without warning. According to Italian reports, the attackers doused the couple with water, spat directly into the man’s face, and unleashed a large dog on him. The animal lunged at his thigh, but its bite was deflected when its teeth struck a mobile phone in his pocket.
Witnesses say the assailants shouted antisemitic slurs and threats throughout the attack. Shaken and soaked, the couple fled to a well-known kosher restaurant in Venice’s historic Jewish Ghetto, where they took refuge. They have since returned to the United States and declined to file a formal complaint.
Italian police have opened an investigation and are reviewing surveillance footage to track down the perpetrators. Authorities are still working to contact the victims to confirm whether the assault was driven by antisemitism, attempted robbery, or another motive.
Leaders of Venice’s Jewish community wasted no time in alerting officials, warning that the incident is part of a disturbing rise in antisemitic incidents across Italy in recent months.
Under Italian law, prosecutors can still pursue hate crime or robbery charges without the victims’ formal complaint, meaning the investigation will continue despite the couple’s departure from the country.
