Two suspects were detained overnight Tuesday in Antwerp, Belgium, after allegedly setting a vehicle on fire in a neighborhood with a significant Jewish population.
An Islamist group later claimed responsibility for the attack, releasing a statement threatening further actions “until the liberation of Palestine."
According to local reports, three masked individuals ignited a vehicle parked outside a Jewish-owned restaurant on Appelmans Street, a central area within the community. Although the car did not belong to a Jewish owner, the attackers reportedly believed it did. Volunteers from the Chaverim and Shmira community patrol groups arrived quickly and managed to extinguish the flames using fire extinguishers, preventing the fire from spreading to nearby vehicles. Patrols continued throughout the night to maintain security in the area.
In its statement, the group described Antwerp as a strategically important European city with economic significance, particularly in the diamond trade, and highlighted its large Jewish population. It warned that similar attacks would escalate in response to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The incident follows a similar event in London on Sunday night, where four Hatzalah ambulances were set ablaze in what authorities described as an antisemitic act.
Amid a recent rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe, security has been heightened in Antwerp. Additional protective measures include increased patrols and the deployment of soldiers near synagogues and Jewish schools. Antwerp, with its prominent Haredi community, has faced repeated antisemitic attacks in recent years, particularly since the October 7th massacre.