Antisemitic graffiti spray-painted in Paris, suspect arrested

Swastikas were spray-painted on walls and columns near the Louvre Museum in Paris’s first district on Saturday night.A 31-year-old man was arrested at the scene and is suspected of spray-painting the 20 red swastikas on walls and columns in Place de la Concorde and Rue de Rivoli, according to French police.

Let’s play spot the swastikas. #Paris pic.twitter.com/7qdQKcF0rK

— Chloe (@chloetsila) October 11, 2020

"Antisemitism continues to rage and raises its head without fear. This incitement is dangerous and could lead to bloodshed," said Vice Chairman of the World Zionist Organization and the Head of the Department for Israel & Countering Antisemitism Yaakov Hagoel."I congratulate the authorities in Paris for arresting the despicable criminal. But unfortunately, it does not stop here. We must take a hard line and uproot the source of antisemitic hatred that is raging all over the world,” Hagoel went on to say.The Wiesenthal Center issued a statement commending French police on the swift arrest of the suspect. "During the German occupation in World War II, the Rue de Rivoli had red Nazi swastika flags flying along its entire. The headquarters of the Military Governor of Paris (Gauleiter) was situated in the Hotel Meurice on that street....It was an eerie to see swastikas back," said Director for International Relations Dr. Shimon Samuels.Paris's Mayor Anne Hidalgo stated that “preventing such intolerable acts is part of our mission... cleaning teams will intervene quickly to erase all traces of these messages.”This incident occurred just over a week after a 19th district Paris restaurant was ransacked and swastikas and antisemitic slogans were spray-painted on the restaurant's walls.