An American Jewish couple and an Israeli tourist were violently attacked in Venice by a gang of North African migrants, who set a Rottweiler on them, hurled antisemitic abuse, and injured one woman with a glass bottle.
Venice’s historic Strada Nuova, just steps from the famous Rialto Bridge, became the scene of a shocking antisemitic assault last weekend.
An American Jewish couple and an Israeli tourist, easily identifiable by their haredi clothing, were surrounded by a group of ten Muslim migrants from North Africa. Shouting “Free Palestine!”, the mob escalated into violence.
- One attacker unleashed a Rottweiler without a muzzle on the victims.
- Another slapped the male tourist.
- A glass bottle was thrown, shattering and injuring the woman’s ankle.
Police Intervention & Arrests
Nearby police officers rushed in and prevented further escalation. Three attackers were arrested:
- A 31-year-old Tunisian man charged with assault and banned from Venice for two years.
- Two others, in Italy illegally, are pending deportation.
Condemnation & Outrage
Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro called the incident a:
“Serious and unacceptable act.”
The Jewish community of Venice released a blistering statement:
“A vile, cowardly and despicable act… incidents like this undermine Venice’s tradition of hospitality.”
Not the First Attack
This is the second antisemitic assault in the same area in just a month. Previously, another Jewish-American couple was spat on and attacked near the Rialto Bridge, with a dog again used as a weapon and antisemitic slurs hurled.
The repeat attacks are sparking alarm within Italy’s Jewish community, raising urgent questions about rising antisemitism and the failure to secure Jewish tourists in one of Europe’s most visited cities.
