<h6><strong>The Diplomat</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain (FCJE), the Jewish Community of Barcelona (CJB), and the Coordinator Against Antisemitism have condemned the desecration of several graves in the Jewish section of the Les Corts Cemetery in Barcelona.</strong></h4> In a statement, the FCJE and the CJB condemned “in the strongest possible terms the despicable antisemitic act of desecrating and vandalizing several graves in the Les Corts Jewish Cemetery on Saturday, January 24.” According to both organizations, antisemitic groups had previously harassed the Jewish school in Barcelona, “exposing and endangering hundreds of children,” and had threatened businesses and workplaces of Jewish citizens in the city, but “with these acts, the level of antisemitism takes an alarming leap, moving from words to actions, from incitement to direct attack.” “We demand that the authorities take the utmost firmness against antisemitism in any of its manifestations, identify the perpetrators of these acts, and ensure they are prosecuted and tried according to the law,” the statement continues. “This attack constitutes a grave offense to the memory of the deceased and an assault on the values of coexistence, respect, and religious freedom. The fight against antisemitism is not only an institutional responsibility, but a commitment of all of society,” it concludes. For its part, the Coordinator Against Antisemitism has “unequivocally” condemned these acts and expressed its “deep concern at the rise of antisemitism, which, as can be seen, is reaching alarming proportions in our cities.” “These acts must not be ignored, given that they demonstrate the advance of the antisemitic threat, which gravely offends the memory of the deceased and signals an imminent risk to coexistence in our city,” the Coordinator states in a press release. “We demand adequate security at Jewish burial sites and all cemeteries to ensure that an incident of this nature does not happen again,” the statement adds. “In light of this latest antisemitic hate crime, we expect the perpetrators to be identified, arrested, and brought to justice promptly. We demand the involvement of the authorities in this matter and trust in their diligence and professionalism,” it continues. “Likewise, we expect the unequivocal condemnation of this act by the institutions and their firm commitment to addressing the growing wave of antisemitism we are experiencing,” the statement concludes.
