An explosion outside a synagogue in Liège early Monday morning has been condemned by officials as a suspected antisemitic attack, reports The BBC.
Police said the blast occurred at around 4:00 a.m. outside the city’s main synagogue, damaging the entrance and shattering windows in nearby buildings. No injuries were reported.
Liège Mayor Willy Demeyer described the incident as “an antisemitic act,” while Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever expressed solidarity with the country’s Jewish community.
“Antisemitism is an attack on our values and our society, and we must combat it unequivocally,” De Wever wrote on social media.
According to Rabbi Joshua Nejman, an explosive device was either planted or thrown near one of the synagogue’s main doors. The blast destroyed the entrance and surrounding windows but caused no structural damage beyond the immediate area.
The Belgian Federal Prosecutor’s Office, which handles terrorism and organised crime cases, has taken charge of the investigation. Police quickly established a security cordon around the synagogue while investigators examined the site.
Belgian Interior Minister Bernard Quintin called the explosion a “despicable antisemitic act that directly targeted Belgium’s Jewish community” and said security around Jewish institutions would remain heightened.
Local residents reported feeling the impact of the blast, with one nearby resident saying the explosion shook her windows. Some initially believed it had been a gas explosion before authorities confirmed the incident.
The Liège synagogue, built in 1899, also houses a museum documenting the history of the city’s Jewish community. Belgium’s Jewish population is estimated at around 42,000, most of whom live in Brussels and Antwerp.
Belgian authorities increased security around Jewish sites following a rise in antisemitic incidents after the October 7 attacks. The investigation into Monday’s explosion is ongoing, and no suspects have yet been identified.
Photo credit: Getty Images
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