Jewish Youth Camp in Bulgaria Faces Nazi Slogan Harassment by Extremists

A summer camp of the religious Zionist youth movement Bnei Akiva in Sofia, Bulgaria, became the scene of a severe antisemitic incident when dozens of Jewish teenagers from Italy were verbally attacked by local extremists. The incident occurred last Sunday outside the hotel where the youths and their counselors were staying. A group of men dressed in black gathered threateningly and shouted Nazi slogans, including "Sieg Heil." Although no physical harm was done, a formal complaint was filed with the Bulgarian police to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Victor Fedlon, president of the Jewish community in Rome, strongly condemned the attack and urged Bulgarian authorities to act decisively. He emphasized the need to shed light on the assault and bring the perpetrators to justice swiftly. The incident sparked sharp condemnation within Italy's political leadership. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani expressed deep solidarity with the youths and stressed that antisemitism is a social poison that must be eradicated.

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini called the event extremely serious and demanded a fight against all forms of extremist violence targeting Jewish communities. He warned against a public atmosphere of incitement and delegitimization that fuels such attacks, declaring that any form of "Jew hunt" is despicable and unacceptable. Salvini also expressed warm concern for the safety of the Italian teenagers involved.