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A group of masked vandals stormed a newly-opened kosher restaurant in the Greek capital of Athens on Saturday night, yelling antisemitic threats and smearing hate-filled graffiti across the premises.
The targeted establishment, “King David Burger,” sits on Ermou Road just steps from Syntagma Square in central Athens. Since opening in May, it has drawn a steady crowd of locals, tourists, and members of the city’s Jewish and Israeli communities. The restaurant is owned by Israeli businessman Tzvika Levinson and prominently displays its kosher certification.
According to eyewitnesses and surveillance footage shared on social media, six masked individuals entered the restaurant around 10 p.m., intimidating diners and staff while spraying inflammatory slogans across the walls and counters. The messages included chilling threats such as “No Zionist is safe here,” alongside calls to “Smash Zionism, fascism, colonialism,” and the defamation “Israel Death Forces — rapists, torturers, murderers.”
King David Burger kosher restaurant in Athens vandalized by anti-Israel protesters
The group threw “Free Palestine” flyers, sprayed graffiti saying “no Zionist is safe here,” and threatened employees.https://t.co/HB24Z5dzYT pic.twitter.com/X52eXynsja
— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) July 13, 2025
No one was injured in the attack, though one Greek staff member reported being directly threatened when he tried to exit the building.
Levinson, speaking from Israel, described the swift assault as the work of “pro-Palestinian anarchists.”
“The restaurant displays kosher certification, clearly identifying it with Israel,” he told Israel Hayom. “These vandals completed their destruction within seconds, making intervention impossible. They defaced walls, pillars, and tables while distributing hundreds of anti-Israel flyers claiming, ‘You are killing babies.’ When one employee attempted to leave, they threatened him, saying, ‘If you come out, it’s over for you.’”
Levinson added that the vandals targeted his Greek national employees, and that his only Israeli staff member arrived once the incident was over.
While Greek authorities have yet to confirm any arrests in the case, police did announce the detention of a leader of the Rouvikonas anarchist collective for questioning following a pro-Palestinian march in Athens the day before the restaurant incident. During the demonstration, participants dressed in black uniforms emblazoned with Palestinian flags marched through the city center.
Despite the trauma, the restaurant reopened the following day and was quickly flooded with supporters. In a message posted online, the owners thanked the public for standing in solidarity, declaring: “Actions like these only strengthen us. They remind us of the power and unity of our people.”
This is not the first time Israeli visitors and Jewish institutions in Greece have come under threat. Just last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked in Athens by a violent mob after he was heard speaking Hebrew in public — and in a disturbing twist, police initially responded by handcuffing the victim.
With more than 5,000 Israelis estimated to visit Athens each day and Hebrew widely spoken in popular neighborhoods, the attack underscores growing concerns over antisemitic violence across Europe. Greece remains a favored travel destination, but Israel’s National Security Council currently advises heightened caution for Israeli and Jewish visitors, ranking the country’s threat level at two out of four.
As calls grow for Greek authorities to ensure the safety of Jewish residents and visitors, Levinson urged Athens municipal authorities to act swiftly and decisively. “Losing this Israeli presence would be tragic,” he warned.
