Several gravestones were desecrated at the Jewish cemetery in the Les Corts neighborhood of Barcelona, the city’s Jewish community reported on Sunday.
According to the community, multiple headstones were smashed and vandalized by unknown individuals.
Photos taken at the scene show shattered graves, headstones ripped from their bases, and extensive damage throughout the cemetery.
The Jewish community in Barcelona said authorities had failed to address growing incitement against Jews, particularly since the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas massacre.
“We have seen how, at demonstrations, online and on the street, hate speech against Jews became routine. Then signs appeared across the city. Later, posters were hung on public buildings with slogans. After that, a map was published marking Jewish targets, including a school. And now, the desecration of graves. This is not random. This is an escalation. From slogans to marking. From marking to threats. And from threats to action," the community said.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attack. “We condemn the desecration of the Jewish cemetery in Barcelona. This despicable act is the result of an anti-Israeli campaign by the Sanchez government. We stand with the Jewish community in Spain. The normalization of antisemitism must not be allowed and must be firmly rejected in all societies," the ministry said.
Dana Erlich, Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Spain, issued a statement in Spanish and Catalan: “Antisemitism, in any form, cannot be explained or tolerated under any circumstances. The fight against hatred and intolerance is the responsibility of society as a whole, not only of Jews."
The European Jewish Congress also condemned the vandalism. “We strongly condemn the vandalism of Jewish graves at a cemetery in Barcelona. What we are seeing is not an isolated incident. It is part of a broader escalation that begins with words, continues with harassment and intimidation and ends with acts like this. When hatred is normalized in public discourse, the step toward physical action becomes smaller. We stand in full solidarity with the Barcelona community and trust that the authorities will act decisively to investigate these acts and prevent further escalation."
This past May, the Barcelona City Council voted to sever institutional ties with the Israeli government, citing alleged violations of international law and the rights of Palestinian Arabs.
Spain, which recognized the “State of Palestine" in 2024, has been among Europe’s most outspoken critics of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, launched after the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023.
In November of 2023, Spain’s Ambassador to Israel was summoned by the Foreign Ministry after Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez claimed that "Israel is violating international law and is carrying out indiscriminate killings in Gaza."
Last April, Sanchez criticized what he called Israel's "disproportionate response" in the Gaza war, saying it risks "destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire world".
A month later, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares advocated for international sanctions against Israel, citing the ongoing conflict with Hamas in Gaza.