Antisemitic graffiti comparing Jews to vermin was painted on Irish roads in recent days, according to the Garda Siochana (Irish police) and a local county councilor, the latest incident in repeated vandalism on the roads near Louth and Meath counties.
Several Stars of David and swastikas were painted along a stretch of road in Louth county, accompanied by the words “Jew” and “Rat,” according to photographs published on Wednesday by Meath County Councilor Paddy Meade. The councilor photographed himself next to the vandalism, relating that the graffiti had been painted last Wednesday.
The Garda confirmed on Thursday that it had received a report of criminal damage to the R165 road surface in the vicinity of Shanlis, and that the matter was being investigated as a hate crime.
Meade said on Facebook that the incident had been the ninth time that antisemitic graffiti had been painted in the area, and that the matter was being ignored.
“Does anyone even mind anymore?” Meade questioned. “Should we stop pulling council staff off real work to clean it up – again – for the ninth time? Because this is how hate spreads. Not with cheers – but with silence.”
Irish police respond to antisemitic graffiti in Louth and Meath counties
Meade said that CCTV had been supplied to the Garda in previous incidents, implying that the investigation wasn’t implemented with diligence. The Garda said that it does not comment on third-party statements.
“An Garda Siochana takes hate crime very seriously. Every hate crime reported to An Garda Síochána is professionally investigated and victims supported during the criminal justice process,” the Irish authority told The Jerusalem Post.
The Meath and Louth counties did not immediately respond to queries from the Post, but the latter county told Raidio Teilifís Eireann that “such acts are unacceptable and stand against our core values of equality and inclusiveness, and our commitment to fostering a respectful and welcoming community for all throughout County Louth.”
Holocaust Awareness Ireland (HAI) said in a Wednesday statement that graffiti was a “bellwether of national sentiment” and that Ireland was experiencing rising antisemitic sentiment across all social strata, government, and media.
The organization proposed that the government condemn the incident, immediately remove the graffiti, and fine the perpetrator one month’s pay.
HAI noted that the depiction of Jews as vermin was a key part of Nazi propaganda, normalizing the idea of their extermination.
“The newly sprayed graffiti on a road in Louth, Ireland, repeats one of the most disturbing antisemitic caricatures deployed by the Nazis in prewar Germany,” said HAI. “As a society, we need to promote empathy and education to embrace our differences. Making vile, offensive, and humiliating language taboo represents the health of a multicultural democracy.”
The Garda urged victims of hate-motivated crimes to report the incident, and noted an increase in reports of incidents each year. Racism represented the most common discriminatory motive for hate crimes in 2024, with 39%. Anti-nationality crimes rose to 25% in 2024, from the previous year’s 18%.
“Gardai from the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau have a good relationship and engage with the Jewish community throughout Ireland on an ongoing basis and continue to liaise with the Jewish community at this time,” they said.