The quick reaction of the restaurant staff prevented the fire and fortunately there were no casualties. After the attempted arson, the perpetrator fled the scene.

An unknown person tried on Tuesday to set fire to the well-known Jewish-owned Rimón Pizzeria in Madrid, in an act that the Jewish Community of Madrid (CJM) says that it is anti-Semitic.

The restaurant is located in the city center, near the Beth Yaacov Synagogue on Balmes Street.

At around 22:39, an individual entered the restaurant and sprayed the entrance of the facility with a liquid with a strong smell of gasoline with the intention to set fire to the premises that at that time was crowded.

The quick reaction of the restaurant staff prevented the fire and fortunately there were no casualties. After the attempted arson, the perpetrator fled the scene.

If the anti-Semitic motive is confirmed, as it seems, it will be the most serious physical attack against Jews in Spain since October 7.

A complaint has been filed with the national police who were quickly on the scene and are investigating the attempted arson.

‘’We trust that the motives of the facts can soon be established and that the perpetrator of the attempted arson will soon be arrested. Until then we are at the disposal of the authorities and of the owners,’’ said the Jewish Community of Madrid.

The Israeli embassy in Spain firmly condemned the attack against the kosher restaurant and expressed its solidarity with the Jewish community. ”This is a new case which shows that hatred discourse leads to violence,” it said. ”We are fully convinced that the authorities will act decisively to prevent violent and anti-Semitic acts from recurring in Spain,” the embassy said on X.