May 27, 2025
Amid a troubling rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe, synagogues in Switzerland and Poland were targeted over the weekend by anti-Israel demonstrators, further intensifying fears within Jewish communities. In Bern, Switzerland, a pro-Hamas rally that had not received official authorization drew around 2,000 protesters. The crowd attempted to reach the city’s historic synagogue while chanting inflammatory slogans, including “From the river to the sea,” a phrase widely condemned as a call for the destruction of Israel. The protest escalated into violent clashes with police, resulting in injuries to several officers as protesters hurled objects and launched fireworks. Authorities responded with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons to restore order.
Local Jewish leaders expressed grave concern over the proximity of the demonstrators to the synagogue, calling it a serious failure in public security. Michel Ronen of the Jewish Community of Bern emphasized the rising threat to Jewish safety and called on city officials to take immediate action. Jonathan Kreutner of the Swiss Federation of Jewish Communities echoed these concerns, demanding heightened vigilance and improved security measures.
In a separate incident in Bielsko-Biała, Poland, anti-Israel agitators disrupted a private event at a historic synagogue by storming in mid-ceremony, waving Palestinian flags and shouting antisemitic slogans—even as Holocaust survivors participated in the gathering. Attendees were reportedly subjected to slurs and threats, and organizers blamed members of Poland’s far-left Razem party for inciting the violence. The attack was described by local leaders as the most egregious act of antisemitism the city had seen in decades.
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SOURCE: The Algemeiner