A 41-year-old Jewish man was violently attacked Friday on the Brussels metro, another in a string of recent antisemitic attacks in Belgium. According to his account, three men assaulted him and struck him in the face while tearing from his neck a necklace with a Star of David pendant — a piece of jewelry with deep sentimental value to him.
The victim, David, shared details of the incident on social media. He said the attack began when one of the assailants approached him and asked for directions to the central station — a move he believes was intended to distract him and get close without raising suspicion. “Like a naive person, I didn’t see anything coming,” he said.
Shortly afterward, he said, three men attacked him, knocked him to the ground and repeatedly punched him in the face. During the assault, his glasses fell off, his shirt was torn and the necklace with the Star of David — which he had received from his father about 30 years ago — was forcefully ripped from his neck.
“They talked about Jews while they were hitting me, and it wasn’t exactly a compliment,” David said. He said he has no doubt the attack was antisemitic. He noted that the assailants did not try to steal his smartphone or wallet, despite having the opportunity to do so, reinforcing his belief that the main motive was the Jewish symbol he was wearing.
After the attackers fled, David tried to chase them, but without his glasses he struggled to see and was unable to catch them. He went to police and filed a complaint, hoping security camera footage from the metro will help identify the suspects.
In a Facebook post, David asked the public to help locate the necklace stolen from him. He described the item and asked anyone who comes across it — at jewelers, gold-buying shops or online sales platforms — to contact him or the police.
Jamal Ikazban, a member of the Brussels Parliament and a leader in the Socialist Party, expressed full support for the victim and strongly condemned the incident. “It is unacceptable to be attacked in Brussels because you are Jewish or because you wear a Star of David,” he wrote. “I hope the perpetrators will be identified and punished. I strongly condemn all forms of racism, including the antisemitism that poisons our social cohesion.”