From Pamplona to Madrid to Barcelona, the antisemitic fever is spreading across Spain. The anti-Israel animus that Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his corrupt regime display at every turn, of course, encourages it. More on the signs of the oldest hatred in Spain can be found here: “‘Destroy Israel’ Banner at Spain’s San Fermín Festival Sparks Outrage From Jewish Leaders and Officials,” by Ailin Vilches Arguello, Algemeiner, July 8, 2026:
One of Spain’s biggest annual festivals opened with a shocking message.
At the opening ceremony of the world-famous San Fermín Festival in Pamplona, organizers unveiled a giant banner reading, “Destroy Israel.”
Five hundred years after the Inquisition and the expulsion of… pic.twitter.com/AtigbWQZaV
— Hananya Naftali (@HananyaNaftali) July 8, 2026
A banner calling for Israel’s destruction displayed during one of Spain’s most internationally recognized cultural celebrations has drawn condemnation from Jewish organizations and political figures, who accused organizers of allowing antisemitic rhetoric to enter the public sphere.
The annual San Fermín bull-running festival opened on Monday in Pamplona, a city in the country’s northern Navarre region, marking the start of the weeklong event known worldwide for its traditional bull runs and large crowds of visitors. During the opening celebrations, demonstrators displayed a large banner reading “Destroy Israel” above the thousands of participants gathered in the city.
Social media videos showed the banner stretched over the crowd, featuring the antisemitic message alongside an image of a crossed-out Israeli flag and the initials EHKS, which refer to a far-left socialist organization associated with the Basque Socialist Movement….
Last week, a group of French Jewish tourists was reportedly chased and harassed by a crowd shouting antisemitic insults after leaving a synagogue in Barcelona. Following Shabbat services, the tourists, who were wearing kippahs, were walking back to their hotel through the city’s beachfront Olympic Village area when a woman wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh allegedly shouted antisemitic slurs at them and repeatedly spat in their direction.
The harassment reportedly escalated as dozens of others gradually joined in, some arriving on bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles, surrounding the group and cutting off its path forward. Members of the crowd shouted, “Jews are not welcome in Barcelona,” “Baby killers,” and “Israeli genocide,” according to the victims.
What fun for an ever-swelling crowd of antisemites in Barcelona, arriving in cars, scooters, motorcycles, bicycles, and of course pedibus calcantibus, to gather, and then to surround and harass a group of inoffensive Jews, accusing them of being “baby killers” and “genocidaires.”
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been the leader of the most corrupt government in modern Spanish history. Both his wife and his brother have been accused of influence peddling, embezzlement, misappropriation, and corruption. The investigation is likely to lead to the revealing that Sánchez himself has committed similar crimes. Since no Spanish government could be more vituperative and hate-filled toward Israel, after Sánchez is removed, relations between Israel and Spain can only improve.
I won’t be going to Spain anytime soon, and I urge others to join my little boycott. I’ll wait to see what happens when the regime of the anti-Israel Pedro Sánchez is finally put out of its corrupt misery. Will a different regime in Madrid crack down hard on antisemitism, in all of its manifestations? I allow myself to believe that that is so, especially if the anti-Islam Vox Party, headed by the fervently pro-Israel Santiago Abascal, wins more seats in the Cortes Generales, or Spanish Parliament. Meanwhile, I’ve stopped humming “España en mi corazon.”
dani says
In 2000 I spent some time in spain, mostly barcelona. It was the one time in my life I was close to getting raped – by a young pakistani inbred knuckledragger. I got a soda at a bar/cafe on a corner a few blocks from the apt. I was staying in thru the language school I was attending. A group of paki men started to talk to me. I didn’t sense any danger. When I got up to leave, one offered to walk me home. Once we were about a block from the cafe, he grabbed me violently. My instincts kicked in and I started screaming and flailing my arms, which scared him off. That was 26 years ago. Fuck spain – let them be conquered by these animals
Wellington says
Here is an interesting irony as noted by many historians and others, to wit, during the extreme darkness that existed against European Jews in the 1930s and early 1940s, two of the safest places on the continent of Europe for Jews were Franco’s Spain and Salazar’s Portugal. Yes, a Jew in Madrid or Lisbon, as opposed to being in Munich, Berlin, Vienna, Paris, Brussels, even Amsterdam and The Hague, et al. was more likely to have their life and property preserved than in the so-called more advanced areas of northern Europe.
I would add here that until Mussolini was deposed, once the invasion of Sicily occurred by the Allied forces in July of 1943, also in Italy was there great resistance against the discrimination of Jews and especially the deportation of Jews to “other places.” Mussolini himself was able to keep safe his Jewish mistress, who did not die until 1960.
All this is no defense of dictatorships, none of which I want, but often times I come across statements to the effect that Protestant Europe was kinder to Jews than Catholic Europe. Yes, sometimes this indeed was the case (e.g., Lutheran Denmark’s noble and successful efforts to save Danish Jews), but the same often times could be said of Catholic Europe. Lesson here: Be wary of painting with too broad a brush. As usual, the truth is elusive because complex and not given up to simplistic, ignorant contentions.
In any case, what a monumental and bitter irony that Jews in Franco’s Spain were actually safer than in so-called “modern Spain.” Oh yes, the truth is so very often perplexingly complicated and elusive.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I think Hugh addressed this one a few weeks ago, when I noted that Franco’s Spain was a refuge for Jews. He corrected me that Franco allowed Jews to flee via Spain to Portugal, but there was nothing to suggest that he actually gave them refuge within Spain itself
The claim of Protestant Europe being more tolerant than Catholic Europe applies more to the Renaissance era – the Spanish Inquisition, the Thirty Year War, the Spanish war against the Dutch. When Spain was reconquered, Moors weren’t the only ones expelled: Jews were as well. They didn’t flee to Morocco: most of them fled elsewhere in Europe, to places like Holland. Similarly, England, under King Edward I – when there was no Protestant denomination – expelled all Jews, whereas under Protestant Britain (House of Stuart and beyond), Jews found themselves able to come to England again. That is a better reflection of Protestant vs Catholic attitude towards Jews, than what quasi-secular regimes like Franco’s Spain or Quisling’s Norway might have done
On Hugh’s article itself, unlike colonial times when Madrid ran most of Latin America, today’s Spain seems to be more like an European outpost of Leftist Latin American countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, Venezuela (still don’t know what to think about the post Maduro regime), rather than the other way around
Wellington says
I never meant to suggest that Franco gave Jews fleeing other parts of Europe refuge, only that the small minority of Spanish Jews were not maligned by Franco and his regime. Portugal, by contrast, and particularly Lisbon, was a destination for many, Jews and others, fleeing other parts of Europe with the goal of getting out of Europe all together. This is mentioned in that great film, Casablanca. Lisbon was also a major center for espionage by all sides during WWII.
somehistory says
For equal time, they should have a banner showing a muzzlim barracks going up in flames. Not quite *equal*….but a start. Add in *destroy islam* and it would get closer.
ploome says
This tradition is historically tied to the city of León in northern Spain, specifically to the current Barrio Húmedo district, which was a thriving Jewish quarter in the Middle Ages.
Nowadays in León and its surroundings, during Holy Week (Semana Santa) preceding Easter, people drink a local alcoholic cocktail—Leonese lemonade (Limonada leonesa). It is a beverage made from red wine, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and sometimes fruit.
The “Matar judíos” Tradition or Easter Pogroms
In local slang, the act of drinking this beverage is historically called “matar judíos” (”killing Jews”). Locals might say to each other, “Let’s go kill a few Jews,” which in their dialect means, “Let’s go have a glass of lemonade.”
This phrase has a real and very dark historical origin dating back to the Middle Ages (15th century):
In medieval Spain during Holy Week, antisemitic sentiments reached their peak. Christians blamed Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which often led to actual pogroms and attacks on Jewish quarters.
https://sergemil.substack.com/p/up-to-6-million-like-rats-the-roots
……………..and, of course, the current Catholic church hierarchy has strongly condemned this, and showed strong support for Spanish citizens, who happen to be Jews….
ya think???
The more that things change, the more they stay the same. Change? It’s more of the same. It changes superficially; but, underneath, its essence is always the same.
As these f-ing ignorant, detestable hypocrites gloat about their humanity…
Beans🫘 says
Very interesting things I’ve never heard of.
Yes, Spain has arguably become the most Islamic friendly Nation on the planet bar none. And yes the anti semitism is palpable in the air, more than anywhere in the west. They love Iran, Hamas and radical Islam migrants, and they are anti American now as well.
They are legalizing all the illegal Muslims to top off the legal ones, and there is a new plan to ship in more Muslims legally.
What is concerning is that the populace is very ignorant towards their conquering army, the Muslims, and they’re cheering their own demise. So sad. So much glory in their history. If they only knew….
ploome says
Israel is reacting to, and fighting against the jihad….
and Christian Europe, the UK, EU and UN
are doing everything in their power to demonize Israel and Jews and
help the Jihad every way they can
Do they comprehend what is going on?
Look at how all these “western powers” protect Christian society in Africa
Africa, alone and abandoned as the women are kidnapped, raped and “married”
and the men are beheaded and mutilated
…………sheer madness
Beans🫘 says
Yes Ploome, I absolutely do see it. They flooded the west with migration and they are so loud, so aggressive, that they brainwashed us into supporting radical Islam, a majority of the USA supports radical Islam (Palestine) and not Democracy (Israel) it is really that simple, and I don’t wanna hear anything different.
Look at the scum, Omar, Talib, Mamdani, Ali from Michigan, they’re everywhere and they’re effectively on campuses taking our children against us, and to promote some foreign he’ll hole of terrorists, that’s all Palestine is. Trash.
Hamas attacks Israel, and the west rewards them with recognizing Palestine. Foolishness.
The two capitals of the Anglosphere are firmly in Islamic hands. NYC London.
Siddhi Nasranni says
Your quote, ” As these f-ing ignorant, detestable hypocrites gloat about their humanity…
That quote, reminds me of, Communists, Catholic Church & Islam.
They all had a Satanic Hatred of Jews of killing of the Jews.
Emilio Perea says
You missed other signs from the same source: “Puta España” and “Puta Selección” (“Selección” refers to the Spanish national soccer team in the World Cup). That scum hates Spain more than Israel.
I’m afraid I’m not familiar with “España en mi corazón” but will keep humming “En Navarra no hay traidores.” For nostalgia’s sake, since it is clearly no longer true. And will continue to pray for the rebirth of Spain, though I doubt I will live long enough to see it.
Andrew Blackadder says
Spain today appears to be a classic example of forgetting the past history of a country as we can see history repeating itself in Spain today
John Pepple says
As far as I can tell, liberal and leftist Jews here in America are much more bothered by Trump than by the rise of antisemitism. It’s like they think that Trump is the type of person to be antisemitic and leftists and Muslims are not. The actual facts don’t seem to matter.
jerry glenn says
Spain surges in the European Islamopandering derby. The race is very close.
ploome says
the difference between NAZI Germany and today, is that
in the 1930’s the hatred was localized in Germany,
today the Jew hatred is overt, rewarded, and manifest worldwide
It’s too much-very dangerous time
OLD GUY says
America needs to learn from these European migration mistakes with muslims/islam. As the migration invasion continues in America it’s only a mater of time before islam grabs control.
roger says
The Spanish are a primitive and backward people. They never left the Middle Ages. It’s a nation of bigots and racists. It no longer deserves to be part of the human community.
Beans🫘 says
They sure aren’t racist against Muslims, that’s for sure they got a soft spot for the migrant rapists and jihadists.
Spain wants more Islam, verbatim. Legalized all the illegal Muslims and searching for more, inciting them to swim in and grab the feee benefits. The Christians are fleeing the taxes to feed Muslims, that’s the jozya tax.
gravenimage says
In Spain, Antisemitism Now Running With the Bulls: ‘Destroy Israel’ Banner at San Fermin Festival
………………………………………………….
And this is not just a sign that some individual thug is carrying–this thing is *huge*. Deeply disturbing.