Milan mayor condemns Jewish cemetery defacement

JTA – Milan’s mayor condemned the vandalism of more than a dozen tombstones in the northern Italian city’s Jewish cemetery.

Vandals over the weekend tore away Stars of David decorating some 13 tombstones in the Jewish section of Milan’s main cemetery.

Police are investigating the incident.

The Milan Jewish community spokesman condemned the incident but said it was too soon to tell whether anti-Semitism or “simple theft” was behind it.

Thieves are known to steal metal decorative elements from cemeteries to melt down or sell as scrap.

Meanwhile, Mayor Giuliano Pisapia said he “forcefully condemned” the vandalism. “For my part, I express solidarity to the families and to the entire Jewish community,” he said in a statement. “Every act of violence, every act of lack of respect, toward whatever religion or community, is a stain that must find the unanimous condemnation of the entire city,” he added.