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Antisemitic incidents in Spain rise 14.5% as watchdog warns hatred is being normalized

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Jewish groups recorded 221 antisemitic incidents in Spain in 2025, up from 193 in 2024, while government data recorded 69 related hate crimes and incidents.
  • Reported cases included vandalism of Holocaust memorials, desecration of Jewish graves and harassment of Jewish people.
  • The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain warned that antisemitism was becoming normalized and called for greater care from political and media figures.

Antisemitic incidents in Spain rose by 14.5% in 2025, according to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and the Movement Against Intolerance. Their Observatory of Antisemitism recorded 221 incidents, compared with 193 the previous year, and warned that hatred was being normalized.

normalized

· Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain and Movement Against IntoleranceThe groups used the word in warning about the rise in antisemitic incidents.

The cases included swastikas painted on Holocaust memorials, desecrated Jewish graves and individual harassment. In July, a group of French tourists was reportedly harassed and spat on as it left a synagogue in Barcelona.

The figures differ from those collected by Spain’s Interior Ministry, which reported 69 hate crimes and incidents targeting Jews in 2025, compared with 37 in 2024. The ministry counts cases formally reported or detected by police. The Jewish federation’s monitoring also draws on reports from community members, social media and other sources.

Since October 7, 2023, Spanish Jews have had to go to our gathering places with special security measures. Our children are the only ones who go to school with a police presence, and insults and discrimination are part of our reality practically every day.

· David ObadíaThe FCJE president described the security conditions and daily experiences of Spanish Jews.

The observatory began tracking antisemitism after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza. FCJE President David Obadía said Spanish Jews now need special security measures at community gatherings and that children are the only pupils at their schools with a police presence.

blame all Jews

· María RoyoThe FCJE spokesperson said some campaigns against Israel had broadened into collective blame against Jews.

FCJE spokesperson María Royo attributed the increase to campaigns against Israel that, she said, sometimes blame Jews collectively. She said security forces were doing what they could, but argued that the government, politicians, media and opinion leaders needed to act more carefully and rigorously.

The security forces are doing everything within their power, but the government, politicians, media and opinion leaders could be much more rigorous and careful to prevent this situation

· María RoyoRoyo called for stronger action from public officials and influential voices.
About this summary

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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