NEW YORK (Press Release)–The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) on Monday, Jan. 27, commended Italian authorities for their strong condemnation of two anti-Semitic incidents in which pig heads were sent to a Rome synagogue, the Jewish Museum of Rome and the Israeli embassy on January 25, two days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Italy’s President Giorgio Napolitano labeled the incidents a “miserable provocation that just assaulted all of us,” and Rome’s Mayor Ignazio Marino also condemned the incitement by expressing solidarity with the city’s Jewish community.
“At a time when anti-Semitism in Europe remains a serious concern, especially in light of these abhorrent acts, it is heartening that Italy’s leaders stood up in unison to condemn anti-Semitism,” said Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director. “This swift and strong response is a perfect example of how public figures must address such incidents.”
In a letter to President Napolitano, Foxman expressed his gratitude for Italy’s continued efforts in confronting anti-Semitism and racism.
Anti-Semitic graffiti was also found on the outside of a government building in Rome with a swastika and a phrase that read “the Holocaust is a lie,” which was also denounced by Yuri Bugli, a local politician. It is not clear if the incidents were connected.
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Preceding provided by the Anti-Defamation League