Antisemitism in the Heart of Spain: Statue of Maimonides Vandalized with Swastika | Documentation

The statue of Maimonides in Cordoba, Spain, was vandalized during the Sabbath with a swastika spray-painted on it. The Jewish community expressed outrage, stating it was an attack on Jewish history and identity. Police opened an investigation, but no suspects have been identified yet. Authorities covered the statue until it is cleaned. The Jewish community in Barcelona also condemned the incident.

The statue of Maimonides, located in the Jewish quarter of Cordoba, Spain, was vandalized during the Sabbath with a swastika spray-painted on it. The local Jewish community condemned the act, stating it was an attack on Jewish history, memory, and identity, and called on authorities to find and prosecute those responsible. The Spanish police announced the opening of an investigation, but no suspects have been identified yet. The Jewish community in Barcelona also issued a sharp condemnation on X (formerly Twitter), emphasizing that Maimonides is part of the intellectual heritage of all humanity. The acting deputy mayor, Cynthia Bustos, condemned the incident and described the severity of the hate message as extreme. Local council member Antonio Hurtado called for the statue to be cleaned immediately, noting that the vandalism harms the city's heritage. Authorities covered the statue with a sign until cleaning work is completed. Maimonides, Rabbi Moses ben Maimon, was born in Cordoba and was one of the greatest legal scholars, philosophers, and physicians in Jewish history, and he worked mainly in Egypt as the personal physician of the sultan.