Two Israeli street artists were attacked in Barcelona while attempting to replace antisemitic graffiti with pro-Israel artwork, highlighting growing hostility towards Israelis and Jews in public spaces across Europe. The incident escalated from verbal abuse to physical violence, forcing the artists to flee the scene, reports The Jerusalem Post.
Hodaya and Dudi Shoval travelled to Barcelona last week to continue a project they began in Amsterdam around two months ago. Their work involves transforming antisemitic, anti-Zionist, and anti-Israeli murals into messages supporting Israel and opposing hatred. Barcelona, which has seen a sharp increase in pro-Palestinian graffiti, was deliberately chosen as a high-profile location for their work.
While painting, the Shovals were confronted by a hostile crowd that began shouting insults before turning violent. As the artists and their camera crew attempted to leave, a glass bottle was thrown at their photographer’s head. Dudi Shoval said that several attackers also punched and kicked members of the group and tried to reach the women accompanying them. He said his wife, Hodaya, managed to deter one attacker by threatening to spray paint in his eyes.
According to Dudi Shoval, the police arrived shortly after the assault, and the group left the area immediately. He said he believed some of the attackers were Turkish immigrants, though this has not been independently verified. No injuries requiring hospital treatment were reported.
The harassment did not end with the physical attack. After returning to Israel, the Shovals continued to face abuse online. At the same time, members of the local Jewish and Israeli community in Spain publicly expressed support for the artists. In a social media message, those who invited the Shovals to Barcelona thanked them for confronting antisemitism through art, saying their work “fights hatred with colour and unapologetic pride” and encourages people “to choose light over darkness.”
Speaking to Israeli media, Dudi Shoval said he views street art as a tool for challenging antisemitism and countering what he described as the dominance of pro-Palestinian slogans in European cities. He said public spaces in Europe have become a battleground for narratives about Israel, warning that leaving antisemitic and extremist messages unchallenged allows them to spread and influence wider public opinion. The aim of the project, he said, is to ensure that antisemitic messages do not go unanswered in the public sphere.
photo credit: COURTESY COMMUNITY SECURITY TRUST
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