Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea recorded 877 antisemitic incidents in Italy in 2024

“Antisemitism in Italy has reached unprecedented levels.” This is the conclusion of the 2024 Annual Report of the Antisemitism Observatory of the CDEC Foundation (Centro di Documentazione Ebraica Contemporanea), which highlights an alarming rise in acts and hate speech against Jews. The data reveals a reality in which antisemitism not only grows in numbers but becomes increasingly aggressive and socially accepted.

In 2024, the Observatory received 1,384 reports, of which 877 were classified as antisemitic incidents. The number of cases is almost double that of 2023 (454), marking an unprecedented increase. Hate is manifesting more frequently both online and offline, with 277 incidents occurring in the real world, ranging from threats written on walls to vandalism on Jewish buildings, as well as physical and verbal assaults.

The analysis shows that antisemitism thrives in a social context where economic fragility and a pervasive sense of insecurity lead to resentment and conspiracy theories. The Gaza war, which began after the Hamas massacres of 7 October 2023, has amplified these phenomena, normalising antisemitic rhetoric disguised as anti-Zionism. “70% of the incidents relate to attacks against Israel, with a rise in anti-Zionist narratives that overlap with historical prejudices against Jews,” points out sociologist Betti Guetta, who drafted the report alongside Stefano Gatti, Murilo Cambruso, and Larisa Anastasia Bulgar. “The increase in incidents reflects a broader source of anti-Jewish hate, which is becoming more widespread and not attributable to specific age groups.”

Social media continues to be the primary vehicle for spreading antisemitism. Compared to 2023, there has been an increase in insults, death threats, and the glorification of violence against Jews. Slogans like “From the river to the sea,” Holocaust distortion, and comparisons of Israel to Nazism are particularly widespread. An alarming sign, the report notes, is the use of these themes not only by extremist groups but also by public figures and influencers.

Digital platforms, despite the obligations imposed by the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA), are struggling to effectively counter online hate. The moderation of antisemitic content remains insufficient, and often algorithms and shadowbanning (a practice used by social platforms and forums to limit the visibility of a user or their content without notifying them) penalise Jewish and pro-Israel voices. “Online antisemitism presents new dynamics that need to be further explored and studied,” says Gadi Luzzatto Voghera, director of the CDEC Foundation.

The report identifies some of the main ideological matrices of antisemitism in Italy, including: Christian and Islamic anti-Judaism, neo-Nazism and neofascism, generic hatred and conspiracy theories, antisemitism linked to Israel, and conspiracy theories about Jewish power. The most widespread narrative links Israel and Zionism to racism, imperialism, and colonialism. “But be careful, we should not only look at radical Islam, the far left, or neo-fascists. The problem is that after 7 October, antisemitism has become a common narrative, used as an ideological tool to attack Israel and legitimise hatred against Jews,” explains Gatti. This paradigm has gained new momentum in student protests and antagonistic movements, where there is growing hostility towards Jews, often disguised as political activism.

One of the most serious aspects is the conditioning of the lives of Italian Jews. University and school students have faced pressure, exclusion, and attacks, even being forced to hide their Jewish identity. “Threats in schools, protests with violent slogans, and social isolation make daily life difficult for many members of the Jewish community,” notes Guetta. “Schools and universities have become centres of tension, with student occupations and pro-Palestinian protests fostering the spread of antisemitic rhetoric,” adds Gatti. According to the researcher, media and information have significant responsibilities in shaping the overall atmosphere. “These are increasingly polarised worlds. The narrative on Israel is often reduced in newspapers and news websites to a clash between ‘good’ and ‘evil’, with no room for critical reflection. There is also a great deal of emphasis on minority and aggressive positions, such as those of student groups against Israel, amplifying the real extent of their message.”

In 2024, several initiatives were adopted to counter the phenomenon. These include training projects for teachers and students, courses, and conferences. Furthermore, a revision of the national strategy to combat antisemitism has been initiated, involving the National Coordinator. “It is important to recognise the actions already taken to counter antisemitism, avoiding the narrative that ‘nothing is being done.’ The involvement of institutions and the implementation of the national strategy are fundamental steps. We must continue to work, using tools like the Observatory’s report to understand where to intervene,” concludes Luzzatto Voghera.