A serious antisemitic incident occurred on Saturday in the Obolon district of Kiev, Ukraine, when a group of young men attacked a Jewish worshipper outside a synagogue, sprayed him with tear gas, and fled the scene.
The attack took place when several young men approached the synagogue and began mocking the worshippers. They shouted insults and performed the Nazi salute, shouting “Sieg Heil.”
When one of the community members stepped outside, the attackers - who saw that he was wearing a kippah and tzitzit - sprayed him with tear gas from two canisters before escaping. The victim suffered severe burns to his eyes and skin.
The United Jewish Communities of Ukraine reported the details of the incident, noting that the assault appeared to have been premeditated. According to the organization, the same group of young men had been seen near the synagogue the previous day, mocking worshippers and chanting antisemitic slogans.
“This was a deliberate, cruel, and premeditated antisemitic act,” the community said in a statement. “Such events should not occur in a civilized world.”
The Jewish community has called on Ukrainian authorities to investigate the attack and bring the perpetrators to justice.