Barcelona Jewish community condemns 'antisemitic' pro-Palestine graffiti on synagogue

The Catalan capital's Jewish community has publicly condemned an "antisemitic attack" that took place at Barcelona's Great Maimonides Synagogue on Sunday night.

"Free Palestine from the river to the sea," a slogan used "traditionally by Arab radicalism" according to the Israeli Community of Barcelona (CIB), was spray painted on the building's façade.

The incident has been reported to the Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra police, who have been given security footage of the night in question, and the graffiti has already been removed. 

"Holding Jewish people in general and in this case those in Catalonia responsible for Israeli government policies is a clear example of antisemitism," a CIB statement reads.

The CIB also said it does not believe it to be a coincidence that the incident occurred the night before Israel commemorates the Holocaust, Yom Hashoah.

The association suggested that recent events in Catalonia, from Parliament declaring that Israel carries out apartheid to the government choosing not to open delegation offices in Israel and Barcelona suspending ties with Tel Aviv had encouraged further antisemitism. 

The Israeli Embassy to Spain also took to Twitter to "strongly condemn the graffiti" and described it as "an antisemitic act committed on the eve of Yom Hashoah."