• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A statue of Christ and artwork are pictured in the Franciscan Church of Flagellation in Jerusalem’s Old City July 28, 2020. Israeli police arrested an American Jewish tourist Feb. 2, 2023, for vandalizing the statue. (OSV News photo/Filippo Di Grazia, courtesy Custody of the Holy Land)

American Jewish tourist arrested in Jerusalem for vandalizing statue of Jesus

February 3, 2023
By Judith Sudilovsky
OSV News
Filed Under: Ecumenism and Interfaith Relations, Feature, News, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

JERUSALEM (OSV News) — Israeli police arrested an American Jewish tourist Feb. 2 for vandalizing a statue of Jesus at the Franciscan Church of Flagellation in the Old City.

In a statement condemning the attack against a Christian site — the fifth in Jerusalem in five weeks — the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land said it was following the incident “with concern and strongly condemn this growing succession of serious acts of hatred and violence against the Christian community in Israel.”

Franciscan Custody officials noted that in a period of just over a month, a Christian cemetery in Jerusalem had been vandalized, anti-Christian graffiti scrawled on the walls of an Armenian monastery, and a Christian-owned restaurant attacked by a group of radical settler youth. Armenians also were attacked by settler youth earlier in the week in Jerusalem. In northern Israel, a Maronite center was vandalized as well, they said.

“It is no coincidence that the legitimization of discrimination and violence in public opinion and in the current Israeli political environment also translates into acts of hatred and violence against the Christian community,” they added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was just sworn into office for the sixth time in December with the most extreme right-wing and religious government in Israel’s history.

Videos of the incident in the Old City show a bearded man, wearing a black kippa, or yarmulke — a religious head covering — and a white shirt and dark pants. He is speaking in English as he is wrestled to the ground with no resistance by the church doorman saying: “You’re not allowed to have idols … Exodus chapter 20.”

The man tore down the statue of Jesus and defaced the face of the statue. The Church of the Flagellation is the first stop on the Via Dolorosa in the Old City of Jerusalem.

Later, as he is being arrested by the police he proclaims, “We cannot have idols in Jerusalem. It is a very serious matter. We cannot have stones of false gods in Jerusalem.”

The police said in a statement that the man, in his 40s, had been taken in for questioning and was undergoing mental health evaluation.

“The Israel Police takes damage to religious institutions and sites very seriously. The police will continue to act with determination against violence and vandalism in the holy sites of all religions. We will also continue to work in maintaining security and order. The Israel Police is unwavering in its efforts against lawbreakers wherever they may be, including those who harm holy places and religious sentiments,” they said in the statement.

On Feb. 3 heads of Missions of the European Union (EU) in Jerusalem and Ramallah came to the Church of Flagellation on a solidarity visit “to express their support for the Christian community after the dramatic event,” the Custody of the Holy Land said in a Tweet the same day. Sven Koopmans, EU’S special representative for the Middle East peace process, accompanied them.

The Jerusalem Center for Jewish-Christian Relations said in a Facebook post they intended to go on a solidarity visit Feb. 3 to the church together with the group Tag Meir. The latter is a Jewish organization seeking to transcend religious divides that responds within hours of a hate crime by organizing solidarity visits to the victims to show their opposition to such attacks.

“We strongly condemn the vandalism, the hate crime directed toward the Christian world, the Christian community in the Holy Land and those who visit it, and demand the authorities to bring to justice the person caught in the act,” the Israeli group said in a statement on Facebook.

Judith Sudilovsky writes for OSV News from Jerusalem.

Read More World News

Petition filed at Supreme Court seeks overturn of landmark same-sex marriage ruling

Head of Spanish political party criticizes Catholic Church’s defense of Muslim community

At 80th anniversary Mass in Nagasaki, people urged to bring Christ’s love, peace to world

Trump federalizes DC police force, says homeless encampments will be removed

Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital

Advocate pleads for Vatican aid as Russian adoption database shows Ukraine’s children

Copyright © 2023 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Judith Sudilovsky

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • The ‘both/and’ pope

  • Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

  • Movie Review: ‘The Naked Gun’

  • Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital

  • Gun buyback exceeds expectations, previous totals

| Latest Local News |

Gun buyback exceeds expectations, previous totals

Radio Interview: The situation in Gaza with Catholic Near East Welfare Association

Patrick Brice sentenced to home detention for attacks on elderly pro-life supporters

Notre Dame of Maryland University joins with Milwaukee college to address teacher shortage

Sister Agnese Neumann dies at 95

| Latest World News |

Petition filed at Supreme Court seeks overturn of landmark same-sex marriage ruling

Head of Spanish political party criticizes Catholic Church’s defense of Muslim community

At 80th anniversary Mass in Nagasaki, people urged to bring Christ’s love, peace to world

Trump federalizes DC police force, says homeless encampments will be removed

Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Petition filed at Supreme Court seeks overturn of landmark same-sex marriage ruling
  • Head of Spanish political party criticizes Catholic Church’s defense of Muslim community
  • At 80th anniversary Mass in Nagasaki, people urged to bring Christ’s love, peace to world
  • Cardenal salvadoreño: ‘Queremos vivir la democracia’
  • Following deadly steel plant explosion, Pittsburgh bishop calls for prayer
  • Trump federalizes DC police force, says homeless encampments will be removed
  • Statue of Confederate general known as anti-Catholic to be reinstalled in nation’s capital
  • Advocate pleads for Vatican aid as Russian adoption database shows Ukraine’s children
  • Salvadoran Catholic leaders speaking out more amid worries over democratic erosion

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en