Vandals desecrated a number of Jewish graves in a Barcelona cemetery this weekend, Spanish police said Sunday, provoking outrage from Jewish groups and politicians.
Spain's Jewish community reported Saturday's incident in the Jewish section of Les Corts graveyard in Barcelona.
"We are aware of the incident and have opened an investigation," a Catalan police spokesperson told AFP, without specifying how many graves had been defaced.
But a spokesperson for Spain's Federation of Jewish Communities (FCJE) told AFP that more than 20 graves had been desecrated.
In a statement, the FCJE condemned the "despicable antisemitic act", calling on the authorities to "show the utmost resolve in confronting antisemitism".
It linked the incident to a map -- created by pro-Palestinian activists and since removed from the internet -- that marks Jewish or Israeli-linked places and businesses in Barcelona.
"With these events, the level of antisemitism takes an alarming leap, moving from words to actions, from incitement to direct attack," said the FCJE.
Barcelona mayor Jaume Collboni denounced the incident in a statement on social media, adding that the authorities were "working to identify those responsible".
"Hate has no place in a pluralistic and respectful Barcelona," he added.
The Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip began after the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, and the scale of destruction in the Palestinian territory prompted a strong, pro-Palestinian movement in Spain.
Those actions have included regular demonstrations and boycotts against Israel, including that of the Vuelta a Espana over the participation of the Israel Premier Tech team.
According to the FCJE, Spain's Jewish community is made up of around 70,000 people.
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