Israeli embassy's Holocaust memorial ceremony in Germany 'shamefully' disrupted by antisemitic trolls

“The event had to be suspended. After a short break, the event was reconvened without the activists and conducted in an appropriate and respectful way.

“To dishonour the memory of the survivor is beyond shame and disgrace and shows the blatant antisemitic nature of the activists.” 

So-called “Zoom bombings” in which ceremonies, conferences and events are targeted by trolls have become an increasing problem as social, business and communal lives shift online as a means of overcoming the coronavirus pandemic. 

The Anti-Defamation League has warned that many have a distinctly antisemitic character, and antisemitic trolls have targeted Jewish events such as bar mitzvahs and synagogue services in the UK over the past few weeks. 

Mr Issacharoff told Haaretz that next week’s community commemoration of Israel’s Memorial Day would be accessible only to those with a password, and would not be widely publicised.  

“As I listened to the siren on the radio this morning, I felt profoundly saddened that after so many years – 75 years after the Holocaust – someone here could desecrate the memory of the Shoah and disrupt a survivor’s testimony,” he said. 

“Now I feel very sad, but I also feel this is a day we have to be strong. This is what ‘Never Again’ means; it is a call for everyday action standing against Nazi thinking and Nazi phraseology.” 

Heiko Maas, Germany’s Foreign Minister, expressed outrage at the news.

“What an incredible lack of respect towards survivors and towards the memory of the deceased,” he tweeted, “It is an indescribable shame!”