Israeli Mother and Two Young Sons’ Memorial Vandalized in Anti-Semitic Attack

A memorial mural in Milan honoring Israeli hostages Shiri Bibas and her young sons has been completely destroyed, marking a disturbing escalation in what the artist calls antisemitic vandalism. The artwork, located outside the Qatari consulate, was initially defaced last month during a memorial service for victims of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

The latest act of vandalism has rendered Shiri’s face nearly unrecognizable and completely removed the Star of David that was part of the original artwork. The children’s likenesses were also damaged in the incident.

“Those who committed this vile act are cowards who despise the West and our values of freedom,” said AleXsandro Palombo, the contemporary artist who created the mural. “Removing the Star of David and obscuring Shiri’s face means attempting to erase history, to deny the existence of a people, to impose an ideology that rejects democratic coexistence.”

The mural depicted Shiri Bibas along with her sons Ariel, 4, and Kfir, who was only 10 months old when they were taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 attack. Israeli authorities later confirmed the three were killed in captivity.

In the previous vandalism incident last month, Shiri’s face was covered with a modified version of an image originally created by Vancouver street artist iHeart. The vandal had added the words “No War” and a red bull’s-eye over her face, which Palombo immediately condemned as an “antisemitic act.”

“Striking the Israeli flag that shielded the children is a way of saying that no place is safe for Jews, not even in the heart of Europe,” Palombo explained. “The flag, in the mural, was not just a cloak that protected the children; it was also the sign of their belonging, the symbol of an identity that embraces them and, at the same time, exposes them.”

This latest incident occurs amid rising concerns about antisemitism across Europe. Since the Israel-Hamas conflict began over a year ago, Jewish communities worldwide have reported significant increases in antisemitic incidents and hate crimes.

Palombo learned of the complete destruction through private messages on his social media channels. It remains unclear whether the artwork will be restored or recreated.

This is not the first time Palombo’s work addressing Jewish history and the Holocaust has been targeted. Previous murals dedicated to Holocaust survivors, including Auschwitz survivor Sami Modiano, Italian Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre, and Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck, have also been vandalized.

The targeting of memorials to victims of the October 7 attack has become increasingly common globally, reflecting deeper tensions surrounding the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Similar incidents have occurred in other European cities, with memorials to hostages and victims being defaced or removed.

Despite the repeated attacks on his work, Palombo remains resolute. “I will respond as I always have, by continuing with my art without taking a single step back, because every attempt at erasure will be an opportunity to reaffirm who we are,” he said. “Free, present, and determined not to retreat even a millimeter before this tsunami of fanaticism, fundamentalism and mad radicalism.”

Local authorities have not yet commented on whether they are investigating the vandalism as a hate crime, though similar incidents in other cities have prompted such investigations. The targeting of Jewish symbols and memorials has drawn condemnation from international human rights organizations, who view such acts as part of a troubling pattern of rising antisemitism.

The Bibas family’s story has become emblematic of the human toll of the conflict, with their images appearing on posters worldwide during the campaign to release hostages taken during the October 7 attack.