Jewish Life in Lisbon: Rising Vandalism Meets Police Inaction

Portugal has shown it can act decisively when authorities believe a hate-driven network is preparing to move from rhetoric to real-world harm. But a growing number of Jewish residents and visitors say that, when the target is Jewish life and anything read as "Zionist," the response has been slower, softer — and in some cases, effectively absent.

The Disparity: Arrested for "Thought" vs. Impunity for Action

In late January 2026, Portugal’s criminal investigation authorities moved swiftly against the far-right "Grupo 1143." The critical detail here is the timing: authorities intervened before the group could execute their alleged plans.

• Arrested for Intent: Reports indicate investigators believed the group was preparing provocative actions to inflame tensions and "provoke a race war," with leadership continuing even while its alleged figurehead was imprisoned. The state mobilized its full weight to stop a threat at the planning stage, effectively policing intent and organization.
• Impunity for Action: Contrast this vigilance with the response to the wave of racist graffiti that defaced Baixa in January. In that case, the crime was not theoretical; it was painted across the city center. Yet, while the state arrests one group for conspiracy, the criminals who actually executed a hate campaign on Lisbon's walls walk free, with no visible manhunt to find them.

The Precedent: This creates a jarring double standard. It proves that the state can investigate deep into dark networks to prevent harm—but chooses not to use those same resources when the hate is already visible, drying on the walls of downtown Lisbon.

Jewish Safety in Lisbon: "Zionists Out" and the Normalization of Hate

While police pre-empt threats against some communities, antisemitism in Portugal has escalated from online rhetoric to physical intimidation without a comparable security response.

"Every week": Vandalism at the Jewish Cultural Center

One of the starkest accounts comes from Lisbon’s Jewish Cultural Center on Rua da Judiaria. According to reporting citing the center’s founder, Luciano Waldman, the building has faced weekly vandalism and hate messaging since the start of the Middle East war.

He described a steady stream of stickers and written messages advocating boycotts and targeting Israelis. The graffiti is specific and violent: "Zionists out," "Zionism equals Nazism," and even "Death to the IDF."

"There is an explosion of antisemitism... [after] hundreds of complaints to Lisbon City Council, nothing is done and things are only getting worse." — Luciano Waldman, Founder of the Jewish Cultural Center

This isn’t just about property damage. Waldman also described confrontations that blurred from political argument into threats of death — rhetoric that, in any other context, would be treated as a clear escalation risk.

When "Anti-Zionist" Graffiti Targets Daily Life

The spillover was made visible in January 2026, when the owners of Lisbon’s Israeli restaurant Tantura announced they would close. They cited "Zionists out" Lisbon messaging, "online defamation," and "hostile campaigns" that turned a place of joy into a "daily battleground."

The Political Blind Spot: Naming the Hate

Why is antisemitic graffiti in Lisbon treated differently from other forms of hate speech? Part of the issue lies in the refusal to name it.

"What is not named becomes invisible"

On January 26, 2026, a delegation of European lawmakers attended an event at the Knesset in Jerusalem. Among them was Chega MP Pedro Frazão, who highlighted the legal blind spots in his home country.

Frazão argued that because antisemitism is not named specifically in Portuguese hate crime legislation, it becomes invisible to enforcement. "What is not named becomes invisible," he stated, referencing the need for Portugal to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. Without this clarity, "Israelis out" Lisbon graffiti is dismissed as political expression rather than recognized as hate speech targeting the Jewish community in Portugal.

"These aren’t always innocent": Paid Sticker Operations & Foreign Influence

One uncomfortable lesson from elsewhere in Europe is that organized graffiti and sticker campaigns can be paid, coordinated, and designed to inflame social fractures. This is not just vandalism; it is a national security issue.

• Coordinated Sticker Campaigns: The sheer volume and uniformity of stickers appearing in Lisbon suggest a coordinated sticker campaign rather than spontaneous individual acts.
• The Foreign Hand: French officials previously investigated paid sticker operations involving Star of David graffiti, linking them to foreign influence efforts designed to destabilize society. Researchers have already flagged Portugal as vulnerable to foreign information manipulation.

None of this proves a specific "foreign hand" in Lisbon. It does, however, argue strongly for treating antisemitic vandalism in Portugal as something to investigate — not simply dismiss as street art.

The India Comparison: A Standard for Enforcement

Contrast Lisbon's approach with how authorities in India handled a recent, highly symbolic incident.

Indian media reported that two British tourists in Pushkar, Rajasthan, were issued a "leave India" notice (deportation) after placing stickers with pro-Palestine/anti-Israel messaging in public areas. Police cited tourist-visa conditions and the impropriety of political activity.

Portugal vs India response to inflammatory vandalism:

• India: Deportation for placing stickers.
• Portugal: No arrests for widespread racist graffiti in Baixa.

You can debate whether deportation is proportionate — but the operational difference is hard to miss. Public-space political vandalism that authorities viewed as inflammatory produced a swift, concrete state response.

Conclusion: A Consistent Standard for Hate Crimes

Portugal doesn’t need to choose between protecting Muslims from far-right plots and protecting Jews from sustained intimidation. A credible democratic state does both.

Portuguese authorities' inaction on antisemitism sends a signal that some targets are fair game. To fix this, the state must:

1. Enforce Equality: Treat "Death to..." graffiti targeting Jews with the same severity as "race war" plots targeting minorities.
2. Investigate Networks: Treat repeated coordinated sticker campaigns in Lisbon as potential foreign destabilization efforts.
3. Adopt Clarity: Use the IHRA definition to help police distinguish between legitimate protest and incitement and hate speech.

The argument from Lisbon’s Jewish community is simple: apply the same seriousness regarding Jewish life as was applied to the 1143 plot — before intimidation becomes something worse.