Israeli Ice Cream Chain Anita Vandalized in Barcelona

A branch of the Israeli ice cream chain Anita in Barcelona, Spain, was vandalized overnight with hostile graffiti. The words "Zionists get out of the neighborhood" were spray-painted on the front of the store located in the Vila de Gràcia neighborhood. This incident follows a series of repeated harassment and hostile acts reported against the branch since the outbreak of the war on October 7. Despite the vandalism and past incidents, the chain's management stated they have no intention of lowering their profile or hiding their Israeli identity.

Adi Avital, owner of Anita, said in response, "We are proud of our Israeli roots. Our door is open to every person, of every religion and nationality, and so it will remain. The sprayed writing can be erased, our roots cannot be erased, and we will not let hatred and intimidation dictate who we are. We will continue to proudly represent Israeli enterprise and be a leading international chain."

Anita, which began as a small family business in Tel Aviv's Neve Tzedek neighborhood, has grown into an international brand with approximately 30 branches worldwide. Beyond Spain, the chain has flagship stores in the United States, Australia, the UK, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and Cyprus.

The article also mentions a separate incident where Thai boxer Ahava Name Gordon was verbally attacked by a passerby in Thailand, who shouted, "Hey Jewish kid, go to hell - free Palestine!" Gordon confronted the attacker, telling him to leave. The report notes that since October 7, Barcelona and Spain have adopted a strong stance against Israel, leading to an increase in unpleasant incidents and a higher travel advisory warning for the country. Madrid, Spain's capital, has seen a sharp 30% decrease in bookings compared to the same period last year.