Mural honouring Holocaust survivors defaced in Milan

A mural honouring two of Italy's most prominent Holocaust survivors, Liliana Segre and Sami Modiano, was defaced in Milan’s Piazzale Loreto earlier this week, sparking outrage and condemnation from Italian political leaders and institutions.

The mural, created by renowned Italian artist and activist Alexsandro Palombo on September 28, had featured the faces of Segre and Modiano in concentration camp striped uniforms with yellow Stars of David emblazoned on their chests.

The defacement, which saw the faces of Segre and Modiano scratched out along with the removal of the yellow stars, has been labelled as a vile attack on memory and resistance.

The mural, part of Palombo's ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, was meant to honour these two survivors and remind the public of the horrors of the Holocaust.

Italy’s Holocaust memorial museum, the Fondazione Museo della Shoah, condemned the act as an "outrageous and senseless attack" that undermines the core values of remembrance.”

"These acts not only harm art, but undermine the value of Memory, which is fundamental for building a conscious and just society," the museum said.

Mario Venezia, the museum's president, added, “A scratch does not erase people, nor what has been. History and its teachings remain intact.”

Segre, a 94-year-old senator for life and Auschwitz survivor, and Modiano, a Jewish author and Auschwitz survivor, are both among the last living witnesses of the atrocities of the Holocaust.

The mural, painted by Palombo in the wake of a pro-Palestinian march that targeted Segre in early October, was intended to send a strong message against rising antisemitism.

During the march, Segre, who has been outspoken about the dangers of antisemitism, was labeled a "Zionist agent" by some protesters.

Palombo, known for his politically charged street art, reacted to the defacement by posting a message on Instagram, saying the attack on the mural was "an act that strikes symbols of memory and resistance."

The artist, who also painted murals depicting victims of terrorism and oppression, emphasised that history cannot be erased by a simple act of vandalism.

Politicians across Italy have weighed in on the incident, with Democratic Party leader Piero Fassino condemning the act as "cowardly" and "antisemitic." Fassino stated that the defacement of the mural reflects a growing trend of antisemitic sentiment that must be confronted. "We must reject and oppose these impulses in the most firm and uncompromising way," he wrote.

This is not the first time Palombo's art has been targeted. Just days after the October 7 Hamas attacks, a mural depicting Vlada Patapov, a young survivor of the Hamas assault on the Nova festival, was also defaced.

The image, which was painted at the State University of Milan, was destroyed almost immediately after it went up.

The latest attack in Milan comes shortly after Palombo unveiled another politically charged mural, depicting Iranian student Ahoo Daryaei, who was arrested by the morality police for publicly defying Iran's strict hijab laws.