On May 17, someone scratched a Nazi’s hooked cross on the glass door of a synagogue in Sugar House, Utah in United States of America. The information was posted by Rabbi Avremi Zippel on his Instagram profile.
He published a photograph of the entrance to Chabad Lubavitch of Utah on which a Nazi’s hooked cross was scratched on the glass door. While talking to The Salt Lake Tribune, he said, “This is the first time we’ve had to encounter something like this.”
Rabbi said that the vandalism at the synagogue took place as a reaction to the escalation of violence between Israel and Gaza. The crime has been reported to the FBI. According to the reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation has already encouraged the synagogue to be on high alert due to the violence taking place in the Middle East.
Zippel said, “Beyond the property damage, which is upsetting, to have that kind of sentiment scratched into glass on a synagogue in 2021 in Salt Lake City, I have to say, really kind left us really shook.” In his Instagram post, he wrote, “We will not cower in fear.”
He further added that Jewish people have become “somewhat accustomed to this sort of bigotry and hatred. And we will continue to do our thing undeterred.”
Jewish people under attack across the world
As the tension is escalating between Israel and Gaza, the attacks on Jewish people have increased worldwide. In London, hundreds of thousands of “peaceful protestors” marched for Palestine and raised slogans against the Jewish people.
Over 100k peaceful protestors march for Palestine in London. pic.twitter.com/Spxpj352u5
— ప్రదీప్ प्रदीप् ප්රදේප් (@lolsalaam) May 16, 2021
In a video from Belgium, Belgians chant “death to Jews” at “pro-Palestinian” protest. It was all happening this in the name of “freedom of expression”.
Des cris de haine meurtrière contre mon pays et mon peuple dans les rues de Bruxelles. Et tout ça au nom de la “ liberté d’expression “…. @IsraelinBelgium pic.twitter.com/Ha3z7cWu7L
— Emmanuel Nahshon (@EmmanuelNahshon) May 15, 2021
In a viral video, pro-Palestine protesters were seen advocating the rape of Jewish women. In another video, a man Jewish man was attacked in New York. The pro-Palestinian mob attacked him with a metal chair that led to a severe head injury. In a video from Canada, Pro-Palestinian mob was seen attacking a Jewish man. When a woman tried to save him, she was molested by the mob.
Synagogues were also vandalised in Germany last week following the escalation of violence between Palestine and Israel. Protests and also become violent in France in Saturday.
The confusion between Hooked Cross and Swastika
Nazi’s hooked cross is often confused with the Hindu holy symbol of Swastika. There is a significant difference between the two symbols. When translated from its Sanskrit root, Swatika comprises of ‘su’ meaning ”good” and ‘asti’ meaning ”to be”. In other words, well-being. It dates back some 6,000 years to rock and cave paintings. Scholars generally agree it originated in India. There is a common misconception that Hitler used the Swastika symbol. In reality, he never called it Swastika but used the work “Haken Kreuz” which means Hooked Cross.
