Israeli Couple Harassed in Vienna, Police Response Criticized
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
An Israeli couple, Hadar and Chen Barti, were subjected to harassment and threats by a stranger at their Vienna Airbnb. The man banged on their door, shouting anti-Zionist slogans, and later hid with tools. The couple reported that the local police were unhelpful and even angered by their calls. The incident ruined their vacation and the Airbnb host refused a refund.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- An Israeli couple in Vienna was harassed by a stranger shouting anti-Zionist slogans.
- The stranger banged on their door and was later seen hiding with tools.
- The couple reported that the local police were unhelpful and angered by their calls.
- The incident left the couple feeling unsafe and ruined their vacation.
- The Airbnb host refused to provide a refund for the remaining nights.
An Israeli couple, Hadar and Chen Barti from Ashkelon, experienced a frightening incident while on vacation in Vienna, Austria. While staying in an Airbnb near a synagogue, a stranger began banging forcefully on their door around 6 p.m. on Saturday. When the husband inquired who was there, the man became angry and shouted, "Zionists, conquering Zionists," according to Hadar.
The couple felt unsafe, with Hadar recounting that she began to cry. After the man descended the stairs, they saw him hiding with tools, though they couldn't identify them precisely. They called the police, who arrived and told the couple the man was not present, instructing them to call again if he returned. He did return, prompting a panicked call to the police, who expressed anger at the couple for calling, according to Hadar.
"They didn't help us, it's surreal. I can't put into words what we experienced, it was simply frightening," Hadar stated. The couple later posted about the incident in a group for Israelis in Vienna, and a local couple offered assistance, driving them to a hotel. The Bartis were concerned the man might try to break into the apartment with the tools he carried.
Despite the frightening experience, the Airbnb host refused to offer a refund for the remaining nights, citing that Airbnb had already processed the payment and she had no ability to issue a refund. The couple, who are residents of Ashkelon, expressed a sense of déjà vu, noting that despite the difficult experience, they were grateful to be unharmed.
