American tourist arrested for vandalizing ancient Roman statue at museum in Israel

The vandalism late Thursday has raised questions about the safety of Israel's priceless collections and raised concerns about a rise in attacks on cultural heritage in Jerusalem.

Police identified the suspect as a 40-year-old radical Jewish American tourist and said initial questioning revealed he smashed the statues because he considered them “contrary to the Torah.”

Two ancient Roman statues are toppled at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem on October 5, 2023. Photo: AP

The man’s attorney, Nick Kaufman, denied that he acted out of religious fanaticism. Instead, Kaufman said, his client was suffering from a mental disorder that psychiatrists call Jerusalem syndrome.

Jerusalem syndrome, a form of disorientation believed to be caused by the religious magnetism of the city, sacred to Christians, Jews, and Muslims.

The man was later ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation. With religious passions flaring and tensions simmering during the Jewish holiday.

The renowned Israel Museum, with exhibits on archaeology, fine arts, art and Jewish life, described Thursday’s vandalism as a “disturbing and unusual event”, saying it “condemns all forms of violence and hopes such incidents will not recur”.

Photos from the museum showed the marble head of the goddess Athena knocked to the floor and a statue of a pagan god smashed to pieces. Museum staff said the damaged statues were being restored. The museum declined to give a value for the statues.

In February this year, a Jewish-American tourist defaced a statue of Jesus at a Christian pilgrimage site in the Old City. And the previous January, Jewish teenagers defaced historic Christian tombstones at a popular cemetery in Jerusalem.

Mai Van (according to AP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/du-khach-my-bi-bat-vi-dap-pha-tuong-la-ma-co-tai-bao-tang-o-israel-post267666.html