Online event with prominent Italian Jewish journalist is ‘Zoombombed’ by antisemitic thugs

Italian police are investigating an online antisemitic attack that occurred during a Zoom presentation of a book written by leading Italian Jewish journalist Lia Tagliacozzo on 10th January.

The incident, carried out by ten people, aimed antisemitic slurs and slogans at the journalist and organisers of the virtual event, Turin’s Jewish Studies Centre. The threatening and discriminatory phrases included “Jews we’re going to burn you all in the ovens”,“the Nazis are back” and “You must die”. Laughter and fascist chants could also be heard. Several images of Hitler, swastikas and the Third Reich eagle emblem were displayed across viewers’ screens.

The attackers reportedly registered themselves onto the event using fabricated e-mail addresses and the names of individuals known in the wider Jewish community.

The perpetrators were removed swiftly from the Zoom meeting and the event was able to continue with more than one hundred participants present.

Ms Tagliacozzo, who is the daughter of two Holocaust survivors, praised the organisers for their prompt response and ensuring that the cyber-attackers were unsuccessful in preventing the continuation of the presentation.

Following a post on her social media page, Turin prosecutors stated that the case would be taken seriously to ensure the group is identified and held responsible.

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