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Vandals recently spray-painted the slogan “Free Palestine” on nine cars belonging to Orthodox Jewish families vacationing in the French Alpine village of Chatel, near the Swiss border.
Dozens of Haredi families from across Europe had gathered in the region for the summer holiday. They awoke this week to find their vehicles defaced. Many expressed outrage and fear.
A Jewish man from Vienna, Austria, whose car was among those vandalized, described the attack as deeply unsettling.
“It’s a horrifying feeling, and the police are not taking the case seriously,” he told Ynet. The victims filed a complaint with local authorities.
🇫🇷 Jewish families on vacation in the French Alps woke up to their cars spray-painted with “Free Palestine.”
Nine vehicles were vandalized in Châtel, turning a summer holiday into a nightmare. pic.twitter.com/s4AvpmDVPN
— Combat Antisemitism Movement (@CombatASemitism) August 20, 2025
A Growing Climate of Fear
The defacement of Jewish-owned vehicles in Chatel is the latest reminder that antisemitism in Europe and across the world is becoming increasingly normalized. The vandalism highlights how anti-Israel slogans often translate into real-world intimidation and harassment of Jews.
Furthermore, antisemitic incidents have surged since the October 7th Hamas massacre. This surge has left Jewish communities worldwide feeling increasingly unsafe. For Jewish families who sought peace in the Alps, their summer holiday instead became a chilling reminder of the dangers that continue to plague Jewish life.
