A grave antisemitic incident unfolded in Italy when three unidentified assailants targeted a Jewish American in Venice during his vacation with his wife, subjecting the victim to humiliation, verbal abuse, and physical assault.
La Gazzettina reported the victim as a Chabad adherent, an American visitor to the country. The man and his wife, who is five months pregnant, had completed dinner in Venice's historical ghetto quarter and embarked on an evening walk through the tourist destination.
The man's attire, which emphasized his Jewish identity, drew the attention of three men walking nearby with their dog. The assailants screamed "damned Jew" at the man and hurled a bottle in his direction. Reports suggest the attack carried connections to the "situation in the Middle East."
Subsequently, the attackers unleashed their dog's restraint and urged the animal to attack and bite the man – an act evoking the darkest chapters of Jewish history. The report indicates the dog inflicted no injuries on the man. The pair escaped from the dog to the kosher establishment where they had dined, receiving assistance from the restaurant owner.
The couple chose not to file formal police charges and departed the city for the United States the following morning. Local authorities have launched an investigation and are currently pursuing security camera footage of the episode from surveillance equipment positioned at the site.
"This represents yet another despicable assault driven by racial animosity, signaling retreat to the twentieth century's most shadowed years," Samuele Vialli, Venice Radical Party secretary, observed. "Any assault on religious expression constitutes a constitutional violation and a national security endangerment. An atmosphere of intolerance and anti-Jewish hostility pervades the city – zero tolerance must prevail. An extremely resolute position must be adopted to safeguard Italy's Jewish community – no justification or correlation to these actions can exist – silence equals capitulation," the elected representative declared.
