A public monument honoring Israel featuring a memorial was painted with a swastika in the Colombian capital of Bogota.
The monument is located on the State of Israel Avenue.
Rechazamos la vandalización del monumento en la Av. del Estado de #Israel en #BogotáEste tipo de repugnante violencia y odio contra nuestro pueblo no tiene lugar en un país tan querido como #Colombia.Reafirmamos nuestro compromiso en la lucha firme contra el #antisemitismo pic.twitter.com/ixDkEHV264
— Christian Cantor (@ChrisMCantor) November 1, 2019
A swastika was painted in orange over the base of the monument and the word Israel was covered up by paint. It was discovered on Friday.
The Colombian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the government “condemns (such) expressions of intolerance and hatred, while reiterating Colombia’s respect, solidarity and gratitude to the people of Israel,” the EFE news agency reported.
Israeli Ambassador to Colombia Christian Cantor tweeted a photograph of the stone monument.
“This kind of disgusting violence and hatred against our people has no place in a country as dear as Colombia. We reaffirm our commitment in the firm fight against antisemitism,” he said in the tweet.
The head of the Confederation of Jewish Communities of Colombia, Marcos Peckel, in a tweet called the vandalism “demented, unacceptable and highly offensive” and that “the Jewish Menorah is a symbol of peace.”