Synagogue in Poland's Warsaw attacked with firebombs, police launch probe

The main synagogue inPoland'scapital city of Warsaw was attacked by firebombs by an unknown perpetrator early Wednesday (May 1), the news agency Associated Press reported.Poland'sChief RabbiMichael Schudrich said the Nożyk Synagogue sustained minimal damageandno injurieswere reported.

Schudrich said the attack happened at around 1 am (Wednesday) when the synagoguewas hitwith three firebombs or Molotov cocktails.

It was unclear who carried out the attackbutthe police launched an investigation, the chief rabbi added.A black area that was the result of where the firebombs hit was visible near a ground-floor window of the synagogue, the only surviving prewar Jewish house of prayer in Warsaw, the Associated Press report said.

Polish president condemns'shameful attack'

In a post on X, Polish PresidentAndrzej Duda condemned the"shameful attack"on the synagogue in Warsaw."I condemn the shameful attack on the Nożyk Synagogue in Warsaw. There is no place for anti-Semitism in Poland! There is no place for hatred in Poland!"President Duda said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred on the 20th anniversary of Poland joining the European Union (EU)alongwith nine other countries. Taking to X, Polish Foreign MinisterRadek Sikorski said,"Thank God no one was hurt. I wonder who is trying to disrupt the anniversary of our accession to the EU."

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“Maybe the same ones who scribbled Stars of David in Paris?”Foreign MinisterSikorski added.

Ambassadors ofUS,Israel arrive at incidentsite

Hours after the attack, ambassadors of the United States (US) and Israel arrived at the incident sitewith Jewish community leaders and Polish officials representing the president, the national parliament and the city government to condemn the attack, the report further said.

Addressing a press conference, USAmbassador Mark Brzezinski said,"The Nożyk synagogue is a symbol of survival, and we stand in solidarity with Nożyk today and tomorrow."

(With inputs from agencies)