18% of Italians believe that anti-Jewish vandalism is “legitimate.”
By Rachel Avraham
A recent SWG poll conducted from September 24–26, 2025 among 800 Italian adults has sent shockwaves through human rights and Jewish communities: about 18% of Italians believe that antisemitic graffiti and vandalism in public spaces is legitimate.
The survey also found:
- 15% consider physical attacks on Jewish people “entirely or fairly justifiable.”
- Roughly 20% say it is reasonable to attack pro-Israel professors or for businesses to refuse service to Israeli customers.
On the flip side, 85% of respondents said that attacking Jews is “not very or not at all justifiable.” These numbers come amid ongoing protests across Italy tied to the Israel–Gaza conflict.
The poll has ignited widespread concern among civil rights groups and Jewish organizations, who say Italy is facing a dangerous normalization of antisemitic sentiment.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, known for its pro-Israel stance, has condemned the rhetoric. Meloni insisted that recognizing the statehood of Palestine should be linked to the release of Israeli hostages and the exclusion of Hamas from power.
Italy’s history with antisemitism is deeply scarred — from the 1938 racial laws under Fascism to the harrowing persecution during World War II. While overt antisemitic violence had been relatively muted in recent decades, the Middle East conflict has re-energized latent hostilities.
In 2024 alone, the Antisemitism Observatory in Milan recorded 877 antisemitic incidents, nearly double the 454 reported in 2023. Graffiti, vandalism, insults, and threatening behavior have surged — and many of these are now less hidden, more public.
When a significant portion of a population deems antisemitic vandalism “legitimate,” we cross a threshold: the boundary between hate and tolerance blurs. Poll numbers reflect not only opinions but the influence of social media, protest movements, and public rhetoric — especially among younger generations.
Italy has laws against racial discrimination and hate crimes, yet public sentiment suggests a gap between legal norms and accepted behavior. Symbolic acts (graffiti, vandalism) may desensitize society — paving the way for verbal attacks, threats, and eventually physical violence.
The Italian constitution and criminal code prohibit hate speech, discrimination, and racial violence. Prosecutors have already opened investigations into possible hate crimes, especially after recent attacks on visibly Jewish individuals. A major obstacle is proving antisemitic intention and linking perpetrators directly to antisemitic motivation. Public opinion that legitimizes graffiti complicates enforcement.
Jewish organizations and anti-discrimination NGOs are demanding stricter application of existing laws and urgent public education campaigns. Schools should incorporate modules about antisemitism, prejudice, and historical memory, showing the horrors behind slogans and symbols. Media must avoid normalizing extremist rhetoric or treating hateful behavior as political expression.
This poll reveals more than attitudes — it unveils moral fracture. In a democracy, certain forms of hate aren’t just disagreeable; they’re unacceptable. The acceptance of antisemitic vandalism is a sign that respect for minority rights is fraying.
If left unchecked, cultural tolerance for hate graffiti becomes a stepping stone to real violence. Society must demand that “legitimacy” never applies to the dehumanization of any group.
These sobering survey results cannot be dismissed as mere numbers. When nearly one in five believes graffiti defacing Jewish property is legitimate, it signals a shift in collective moral boundaries.
Italy must adapt not just its laws, but change its culture. If public opinion allows hate as an acceptable expression, then every Jewish community, every public space, and every citizen is at risk. The question is not whether antisemitic vandalism is lawful — it is whether in the eyes of society it should ever be considered “legitimate.”
