Swastikas painted at Jewish Buenos Aires barbershop
Neo-Nazi pamphlet left outside iconic establishment in Jewish neighborhood
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Swastikas were painted in front of a Jewish-owned barbershop “Javerim” in the traditional Jewish neighborhood of Villa Crespo in Buenos Aires.
The hair salon Javerim, the Hebrew word for friends, is a neighborhood icon. The swastikas were discovered on Saturday morning.
Argentina’s national secretary for Human Rights, Claudio Avruj, denounced the incident.
“I reject any type of discriminatory or xenophobic behavior, and I encourage you to continue working for an Argentina with a mosaic of identities where we all live together in peace and harmony,” Avruj tweeted.
In addition to the swastikas, a neo-Nazi pamphlet was hung near the store.
Argentina’s Federal Police and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights are investigating the incident, which appears to be part of a wave on anti-Semitic attacks in the Argentinean capital. One week ago a man wearing a kippah was beaten and subject to anti-Semitic epithets on a street in Buenos Aires.
Nearly two months ago, a homeless couple entered a synagogue and threatened the worshippers. The synagogue’s rabbi was injured scuffling with the homeless man following Shabbat services.
Anti-Semitic incidents in Argentina rose by 14 percent in 2017 over the previous year, according to a DAIA report with the most recent national statistics. Online anti-Semitic incidents made up 88 percent of the 2017 total, nearly double the 47 percent in 2014.
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