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Swastikas have been placed on the front of the synagogue in Middelburg. The Jewish community in Zeeland and the Zeeland Synagogue Foundation say in a press release that they are “dismayed by this act of anti-Semitism.”
Source: De Telegraaf
Today at 2:03 PM
Some members of the Zeeland Jewish community discovered the graffiti on the house of worship on Saturday evening around half past eight. “It again evokes feelings of insecurity and fear for many,” reads the message they sent.
A police spokesperson said an investigation has been launched. The investigation spoke with a witness who saw people near the house of worship around 8:15 p.m. But it is not clear whether they are also responsible for the destruction.
Two swastikas
Police took photos and say there are two swastikas. A neighborhood investigation will follow on Sunday and the police will check whether there are any useful camera images. An initial statement has been recorded from a contact person at the synagogue, a formal report will follow later, the spokesperson said.
The Central Jewish Consultation took note of the facts with horror. “How appalling that a defenseless old Jewish building becomes the target of an anti-Semitic graffiti,” says CJO chairman Chanan Hertzberger. The actual building is hidden behind the houses in the center of Middelburg. Only an entrance gate is the connection to the public space.
There, members of the Jewish Community of Zeeland found a swastika on the facade on Saturday evening, just below a sign that explains the Jewish house of worship. Hertzberger: “The Jewish community has been an integral part of Middelburg society for more than four hundred years. This third oldest synagogue in the Netherlands is tangible proof of this. I am therefore convinced that a swastika on the place of worship will not leave Middelburg society untouched.”
