Anti-Israel protesters in Vienna chant about massacre of Jews

Amid fighting in Israel and Gaza, antisemitic graffiti also painted on synagogue door in Norwich in the UK, as Israeli flags burned outside 2 Jewish houses of worship in Germany

JTA — Some 2,500 protesters in Austria against Israel’s actions in Gaza chanted about a massacre of Jews during a rally Thursday, Der Standard reported.

Meanwhile, in England, an antisemitic slogan about Palestine was painted on the door of a synagogue.

Eight people in Israel have died and at least 119 in Gaza since Hamas and Israeli troops began exchanging fire Sunday.

In Vienna, Austria’s capital, a man leading chants in Arabic with a loudspeaker shouted “Jews, remember Khaybar, the army of Muhammad is returning.” Multiple demonstrators repeated the chant.

The cry relates to an event in the seventh century when Muslims massacred and expelled Jews from the town of Khaybar, located in modern-day Saudi Arabia.

In the city of Norwich, situated about 120 miles northeast of London, the words: “Kike-free Raleshne” — possibly an attempt to write Palestine — were spray-painted on the door of the local synagogue Thursday night, The Jewish Chronicle of London reported Friday.

A swastika was drawn underneath.

A Norwich synagogue has been targeted with antisemitic graffiti including swastikas alongside the words ‘Free Palestine’.

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This hate crimes comes after @CST_UK reported that antisemitic incidents have surged by 250% in the UK, in the wake of the Israel-Gaza conflict. pic.twitter.com/Mc95c1fWcG

— Combat Antisemitism (@CombatASemitism) May 14, 2021

Local police have stepped up patrols in the area following the incident, which they are classifying as criminal damage, the paper reported.

In Germany, police stopped about 200 people on Wednesday from approaching a synagogue in Gelsenkirchen, with many in the rally shouting “shitty Jews,” and Israeli flags were burned in front of two other synagogues this week.