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Three elderly Israeli tourists, including a Holocaust survivor, were removed from Madrid’s Reina Sofía museum after a confrontation with other visitors who reacted to Jewish and Israeli symbols they displayed, sparking international backlash, legal threats and an internal investigation.
The incident has drawn attention to rising tensions in Spain linked to the war in Gaza and renewed debate over discrimination, political expression and the role of public cultural institutions.
The incident took place Saturday at the Reina Sofía museum, a major state affiliated institution operating under Spain’s Culture Ministry.
The three women were visiting the museum while wearing a Star of David necklace and carrying an Israeli flag. Other visitors allegedly responded with verbal abuse, shouting insults and calling them “crazy child killers.”
Video footage later circulated online shows security officers escorting the women out while stating that “some members of the public are being bothered” by their presence.
A security guard reportedly told the group they had to leave because “some visitors were disturbed that they are Jewish” and instructed them to conceal their Jewish symbols.
Their Spanish companion, who recorded the incident, objected to the decision and said there was no legal basis for removing them.
“It is unacceptable for someone to be punished in this way without having broken any law, in an official institution supported by the Spanish government,” she said. She added that the symbols were “completely standard Jewish symbols that are not offensive at all.”
Reports say no action was taken against those who allegedly insulted the visitors. It is important to note that the video does not show events leading up to the confrontation and some details could not be independently confirmed.
The Reina Sofía later said it had requested an internal investigation by its security department. The museum stated that it remains committed to “equality, religious freedom, and zero tolerance toward any form of violence or discrimination related to antisemitism.”
The incident triggered strong reactions from Jewish organizations and Israeli officials.
The European Jewish Congress called the episode “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” saying the decision to remove those subjected to abuse rather than the aggressors “raises serious concerns about discrimination within a public cultural institution.”
Action and Communication on the Middle East (ACOM), a pro-Israel organization in Spain, said it would pursue legal action against the museum and its director, alleging discrimination by a publicly funded institution.
Israeli Ambassador to Spain Dana Ehrlich also criticized the incident, saying the Israeli flag “represents thousands of years of history of the Jewish people.”
At the same time, the confrontation unfolded within a broader political climate in Spain shaped by strong public debate over Israel’s war in Gaza.
Spain has seen large pro-Palestinian demonstrations and political tensions linked to the conflict. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has repeatedly voiced solidarity with the Palestinian cause and accused Israel of violating international law.
“Protecting your country and your society is one thing, but bombing hospitals and killing innocent boys and girls with hunger is another thing entirely,” Sánchez said in a televised speech last year. “That isn’t defending yourself. It’s exterminating defenseless people.”
The Spanish government has also taken policy steps related to the conflict, including measures targeting trade connected to Israeli settlements and restrictions related to defense materials.
The Reina Sofía itself previously faced controversy during the war after organizing a program titled “From the River to the Sea,” later renamed following criticism.
The museum, one of Spain’s leading modern art institutions and home to Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, said Jewish artists and patrons have played an important role in shaping its collection and history.
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