Serious and violent anti-Semitic incident causes uproar in Italy: Rabbi Tzemach Mizrahi, 51, a Chabad emissary and rabbi of the central Chabad house in Milan, was brutally attacked, beaten, and humiliated today (Wednesday) by three Muslims on the streets of Milan while he was waiting at a bus stop in the Jewish area, on his way to pick up his children from school.
The attackers recognized him as Jewish based on his traditional clothing, attacked him without any provocation, beat him vigorously, snatched his hat, trampled him underfoot, and spat on him.
Following the messenger's complaint, the Milan police launched a rapid investigation, and the attackers were located by security forces.
Rabbi Tzemach, an Israeli citizen who went on a mission to Milan about 30 years ago, said: "The three began to taunt me and snatched my hat. When I asked to return it, one of the attackers kicked me hard, which threw me to the road, but thank God I did not need medical treatment.".
Rabbi Mizrahi added that the three were arrested and are currently being questioned, while he himself is still at the police station. "I have been at the police station for several hours to clarify and complete the investigation. They took it very seriously, arrested them and they will remain in custody tonight.".
He said, "Recently, the situation is that we are starting to feel their presence on the streets more and more" - but on the other hand, it seems that the police are taking the issue very seriously. He expressed hope that the arrest of the three attackers will deter and bring about calm.
The details of the difficult incident were revealed by Walker Magnagi, president of the Jewish community in Milan, who defined the case as exceptional in its severity.
""Nothing so violent has ever happened here," he told the Italian news agency ANSA. "I'm ashamed of my country, if I may say so. I'm ashamed of what's happening. He was just waiting for a bus and they identified him by his clothes. It's easy to say that the police caught the attackers, but how long can the security forces go around and monitor to prevent such things from happening?".
The Jewish community in Milan, one of the oldest and most significant in Europe, is currently experiencing a growing sense of insecurity on the streets, with the daylight attack on a rabbi waiting at the station illustrating the dangerous radicalization against anyone who openly demonstrates Jewish identity in the public sphere.
