CÓRDOBA, Spain (VINnews) — A statue of the revered Jewish philosopher and Torah scholar Maimonides, known in Hebrew as the Rambam, was defaced with swastika graffiti in the Spanish city of Córdoba, prompting condemnation from Jewish organizations and a police investigation.
The vandalism was discovered Saturday on the base of the bronze statue in Tiberiades Plaza, located in the city’s historic Jewish Quarter. Municipal workers temporarily covered the graffiti while specialists began removing the paint.
Spain’s National Police said it is investigating the incident.
The Jewish Community of Barcelona condemned the act, calling it “an attack on our shared history, on the Golden Age, on our culture, on the values of knowledge, freedom, and coexistence that his legacy represents.”
The Federation of Spanish Jewish Communities also denounced the vandalism, expressing what it called its “total repudiation” of the attack.
The European Jewish Congress said the incident was “a stark reminder that antisemitism continues to target not only Jewish people, but also Jewish history, memory and culture.”
The bronze monument, created by Spanish sculptor Amadeo Ruiz Olmos in 1964, honors the legacy of Maimonides, who was born in Córdoba in the 12th century before his family fled Muslim Spain amid religious persecution.
Widely regarded as one of Judaism’s greatest scholars, the Rambam is best known for authoring the Mishneh Torah, a comprehensive code of Jewish law, and The Guide for the Perplexed, a philosophical work that has influenced Jewish thought and Western philosophy for centuries. He also gained renown as a physician and astronomer.
According to the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, approximately 70,000 Jews live in Spain today.
The vandalism comes amid growing concern over antisemitism in the country. A Spanish government report found that antisemitic offenses rose 86% in 2025, with Jews targeted in 69 reported hate crimes and related incidents.