Rafael Turiel, the Chairman of the Mizrachi Movement branch in Milan, Italy, spoke with Arutz Sheva-Israel National News about the riots that have moved from France and other European nations to his city.
According to Turiel, while the Jewish community continues its daily routine and threats against it have not increased in recent days, the atmosphere on the streets of Europe has changed significantly since the October 7th Massacre.
"I think it's like that everywhere in Europe," he says, referring to the need for caution when visibly displaying Jewish symbols. "I was in Prague two weeks ago, and there too I heard that a week earlier there were pro-Palestinians in the ghetto. It's a spirit that is passing throughout Europe."
Turiel discusses the wave of riots that have reached Milan, as they continue to rage through France, Belgium, Albania, and other countries. He says that while there are similarities between the riots in the different countries, they are not totally identical. "It's similar to France, in my opinion, but not exactly the same thing," he explains. "Here they are younger than what I see in Paris or France."
Despite the harsh scenes from the streets, Turiel differentiates between these riots and the purely anti-Israel protests that are held in the city. He stresses that not every violent protest or riot in Italy stems from hostility towards Israel, and they are sometimes driven by local issues connected to the leadership and the education system.
"Last week, 5,000 people protested against Israel and Zionism in Milan," he recounts. "I don't think that what happened on Saturday and Sunday in Milan was against Israel. That was against the government, against the situation in schools. There are all different reasons, and maybe a bit against Israel, but that isn't the main thing."
He sees this differentiation as important, yet no less concerning. Turiel believes that even in protests that stem from local issues, there is sometimes a visible presence of unqualified support for the Palestinian cause. He says this is a trend that is expanding. He says that this is a growing trend.
He also points to the role of the media and political figures in exacerbating the atmosphere. He argues that portraying Israel as a country committing genocide, while downplaying the fact that it was the victim of a terrorist massacre, contributes to growing hostility toward Israel. According to him, this hostility does not necessarily remain confined to criticism of Israeli policies but also affects attitudes toward Jewish communities.
One of the most prominent signs of this change, he says, is the expansion of boycotts against Israelis. Turiel describes opposition to purchasing Israeli products, welcoming tourists from Israel, and collaborating with Israeli academics.
Alongside the boycotts and demonstrations, he also mentions more serious incidents, including the assault of a rabbi in Milan. However, he emphasizes that there has been no dramatic change in security arrangements at Jewish community institutions in recent days. According to him, police protection around synagogues and the Jewish school has been a familiar reality for years.
"We live cautiously," he says. "As usual, we have police stationed outside the synagogues and the Jewish school. We have been living this way for years."
Even when asked directly whether Jews are currently afraid to walk through the streets of Milan, his answer is not unequivocal. According to Turiel, there is no general sense of fear that prevents people from going about their daily lives, but there is a constant awareness of the possibility of confrontations and changes in the public atmosphere.
The word "still" recurs throughout his remarks. Turiel seeks to clarify that, as of now, there has been no drastic deterioration in the Jewish community's security situation, but he does not ignore the developments he sees around him.
"The feeling is that something is growing more and more," he says. "In the newspapers, in politics, in the streets."
For him, the issue is not merely one violent incident or another, but also the sense of freedom Jews have to live openly according to their identity. The possibility that a Jew might prefer to conceal his kippah to avoid confrontation is, in his view, part of the reality that has developed in Europe.