Lithuanian Blogger Arrested for Spitting on Israeli Rabbis in Vilnius

A rare antisemitic incident occurred in Vilnius, Lithuania, when a local blogger and activist, Gintaras Lotkevičius, was arrested after being filmed spitting on three Israeli rabbis visiting the city. The rabbis, dressed in traditional attire, were targeted while on a pilgrimage that included visits to Jewish sites in Belarus and the grave of the Vilna Gaon. In the video posted by Lotkevičius himself on social media, he is heard saying, "I heard you like to spit on Christians... so what if I spit on you? Get out of Lithuania. This is Lithuania, go home." Lithuanian authorities launched an investigation on suspicion of incitement to hatred based on nationality and religion following a complaint about public humiliation and encouragement of hatred against Jews. Lotkevičius was detained and later released, after which he began fundraising for his legal expenses.

The Jewish community in Lithuania confirmed the victims' identities as Israeli rabbis and provided them with legal assistance. Faina Kukliansky, chairwoman of the Lithuanian Jewish community, described the event as shocking but rare, noting that such incidents are infrequent. She suggested that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has contributed to increased tensions. Kukliansky also emphasized that the situation for Jews in Lithuania remains better than in some Western European countries, where Jews sometimes fear wearing visible religious clothing. She warned that the attacker’s public calls for others to imitate his actions are dangerous and could incite further assaults. The incident has drawn concern from foreign embassies in Lithuania, which have reached out to the Jewish community for details.

Rabbi Shalom-Ber Krinsky, the Chabad rabbi in Lithuania for over 30 years, called the attack particularly unusual, stating it was the first time he had heard of such an assault on Jewish pilgrims in Vilnius. He noted that since his arrival in 1994, Vilnius has become a cosmopolitan city where visibly Jewish attire is generally accepted. The rabbis had planned to attend a major event in Vilnius but expressed security concerns following the attack, leaving their participation uncertain.