Barcelona sauna apologizes after women denied entry over Star of David necklaces

A Barcelona bathhouse has apologized after two Jewish American women were denied entry to an LGBTQ sauna in Barcelona on Friday because they were wearing Star of David necklaces.

The spa, Sauna Thermas, posted on X yesterday that it “deeply regret[s] and unequivocally condemn[s] the events that took place at our venue.”

“We wish to state with absolute clarity that we reject any form of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, or conduct that undermines the dignity of any individual,” the owners write.

We deeply regret and unequivocally condemn the events that took place at our venue.
We wish to state with absolute clarity that we reject any form of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, or conduct that undermines the dignity of any individual. pic.twitter.com/T4VcHJbAOX

— Sauna Thermas (@SaunaThermas) May 31, 2026

The apology followed the release of a video showing staff questioning two visitors about Zionism before ejecting them from the establishment.

One of the women, who said she was wearing a Star of David pendant, was asked whether she was a “Zionist person.” During the confrontation, staff members were heard saying, “We don’t condone genocide” and “Free Palestine, please leave.”

An American Jewish woman living in Barcelona reached out to me, saying that she and her wife were denied entry last night to a thermal bath, reportedly because they are Jewish.

She documented the exchange on video and filed a report with the Mossos d’Esquadra afterwards.… pic.twitter.com/oSyHNAa2M5

— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) May 30, 2026

Following the incident, ACOM, a Spanish-Jewish advocacy organization, said it was initiating legal action against the spa.