A group of neo-Nazis attempted to storm a hotel in Sofia housing Italian Jewish teenagers on Sunday, shouting "Sieg Heil" and performing Nazi salutes before blocking the building's entrance. The youths, from Rome and Milan, were staying at the hotel following a Bnei Akiva summer camp near the Bulgarian capital. Police intervened to prevent physical clashes and opened an investigation, though the group reportedly returned after officers left and blocked the entrances again.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani condemned the antisemitic episode and expressed solidarity with the young Italians. Victor Fadlun, president of the Jewish Community of Rome, called on Bulgarian authorities to identify and prosecute those responsible.
European Parliament Vice President Pina Picierno denounced the incident as an act of antisemitic intimidation, while Lazio region president Francesco Rocca also voiced condemnation. The Union of Italian Jewish Communities expressed solidarity with the victims.