Neo-Nazis Harass Jewish Youth Delegation at Bulgarian Resort Hotel

On Sunday, a group of neo-Nazis dressed in black shirts with skull symbols besieged a hotel in Bansko, Bulgaria, where dozens of Jewish youths were staying. The group included a delegation from the Jewish community of Rome and representatives from Israel attending an international youth leadership training. The attackers verbally abused the young people, blocked hotel entrances, gave Nazi salutes, and shouted "Sieg Heil." Police intervened and dispersed the attackers, but they returned shortly after the officers left and continued threatening the youths.

Victor Padelon, president of the Jewish community of Rome, condemned the incident, stating that Jewish children are not free to travel across Europe without facing violence and verbal harassment from antisemites. He called on Bulgarian authorities to investigate the attack, identify those responsible, and prosecute them promptly.

This event follows another violent incident in Bulgaria about a week earlier, where Israeli teenagers were trapped in their hotel rooms in Sunny Beach after being attacked by British tourists who recognized them as Israelis. The attackers used pepper spray and dragged one Israeli into a dark alley.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani denounced the antisemitic attack as a hateful and discriminatory "bacteria" that must be fought. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini also strongly condemned all forms of extremist violence against Jewish communities and expressed solidarity with the Jewish youths, calling such "Jew hunts" unacceptable and fueled by long-standing hatred and delegitimization.