Israeli Ninja Athlete Dvir Efrati Faces Antisemitic Attack in Tokyo

Israeli Ninja athlete Dvir Efrati, who recently won a gold medal and broke a world record at the Ninja and Obstacle Racing World Championships in Tokyo, was subjected to an antisemitic verbal attack on the streets of the city. Efrati, 23, was walking in Tokyo wearing a kippah when a pro-Palestinian man shouted at him, calling him a "terrorist" and demanding "Free Palestine!" Others reportedly joined in the chants.

Undeterred by the incident, Efrati returned to his hotel to retrieve an Israeli flag. He then reappeared, wrapped in the flag, and responded with a smile, stating, "I am here." He shared a video of the encounter on Instagram, which garnered tens of thousands of views. In his post, Efrati expressed surprise at encountering such hostility, noting, "Of all the things I expected to see in Tokyo, the Palestinian flag was not one of them."

Efrati had previously won the gold medal in the 400-meter ninja race, setting a new world record in the qualifying rounds. He competed despite an injury that worsened during the event. He also observed his religious practices as a Sabbath-observant athlete, ascending the podium wearing a kippah and tzitzit. Following his victory, he stated, "I arrived injured, but faith and spirit gave me the strength to overcome the pain and bring honor to the country."

The athlete received widespread support online, with many commending his response and criticizing the ignorance behind the attack. Comments included messages of encouragement and observations about protesters chanting slogans without understanding the context.