Israeli-owned eatery in London hit with ‘free Palestine’ graffiti

The café serves Middle Eastern foods popular in Israel and in Arab countries, including shakshuka, shawarma and smoked eggplant.

 The words "free Palestine" were spray-painted on the facade of a cafe owned by an Israeli in London, May 14, 2022. (photo credit: MICHAEL LEVI via JTA)
The words "free Palestine" were spray-painted on the facade of a cafe owned by an Israeli in London, May 14, 2022.
(photo credit: MICHAEL LEVI via JTA)

Unidentified individuals spray-painted the words “Free Palestine” on the facade of an Israeli-owned cafe in London.

The incident, which the owner Michael Levi suspects was an antisemitic hate crime, occurred on May 14 at Michaels Brasserie, the Jewish News of London reported on Tuesday.

The graffiti was painted there late at night on a Saturday, the report said.

Police arrived at the café and documented the incident and are looking into it, Levi told the Jewish News. Levi said that there was nothing Jewish about the cafe’s facade when it was vandalized.

 A VAN WITH a slogan aimed at Britain’s Labour Party is driven around London’s Parliament Square ahead of a debate on antisemitism in Parliament, in April 2018. (credit: REUTERS/HANNAH MCKAY)
A VAN WITH a slogan aimed at Britain’s Labour Party is driven around London’s Parliament Square ahead of a debate on antisemitism in Parliament, in April 2018. (credit: REUTERS/HANNAH MCKAY)

”I can’t really get angry with people who choose this path. I just feel ashamed and hurt, and upset. We are just trying to live our lives doing the best we can .. and then this,” he told the newspaper.

The café serves Middle Eastern foods popular in Israel and in Arab countries, including shakshuka, shawarma and smoked eggplant.