Christian World Appalled: Man Re-arrested After “Holocaust in Gaza” Graffiti at Church of the Holy Sepulchre
A 27-year-old Jerusalem resident, previously detained for defacing the Western Wall with protest graffiti, was caught again carrying spray paint near the Old City church. Police seek to extend his detention.
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Jerusalem police once again arrested a 27-year-old Jewish man overnight, accusing him of spraying political graffiti — this time inside one of Christianity’s holiest shrines, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
Just two weeks ago, the same man was detained for spraying the words “There is a Holocaust in Gaza” on the southern section of the Western Wall and other locations across the city. Despite prosecutors’ calls for an extended remand, a judge released him after five days, noting medical reports and family testimony suggesting the suspect struggles with mental health issues.
The latest incident unfolded after police received a report of a suspicious man near Jerusalem’s Old City. Surveillance cameras guided officers to the church, where they say they caught the suspect with a spray can in hand. He was taken into custody, and investigators announced plans to request an extension of his detention in court.
Family members insist the young man is not dangerous, urging compassion. During his earlier court hearing, the presiding judge described the case as “sad” but refused a request to bar him from the Western Wall, remarking: “I don’t exile Jews from the Kotel.”
Police say the investigation has been ongoing since his first arrest, and the latest graffiti incident has renewed public concern about security at Jerusalem’s most sensitive religious landmarks.