An ordinary travel stop turned into a distressing ordeal for a French Jewish father and his young son while passing through Italy this week. The two had pulled into a highway service station when they were aggressively confronted by a group of individuals shouting “Free Palestine.” The son was wearing a kippah, clearly identifying them as Jewish, which appeared to trigger the verbal assault.
Eyewitnesses say the shouting was loud, targeted, and intimidating. “It wasn’t just a chant it was menacing,” one witness said. “You could see the fear on their faces.”
The father and son quickly left the area without responding, but the encounter has sparked renewed concern over the safety of visibly Jewish travelers in Europe amid rising antisemitism.
Jewish advocacy groups condemned the incident, calling it another example of how Jewish identity has become a target for hostility in public spaces. “No child should have to fear for their safety because of their religion. This is a shameful reminder of the climate we’re in.”
Local authorities have not yet commented on the incident.
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