A mural in Milan, Italy, dedicated to the memory of Shiri and her two young sons, Ariel, 4, and Kfir, 10 months—who were brutally murdered by Hamas—was defaced this week, following a previous act of vandalism weeks earlier.
The Star of David was removed, and the damage inflicted on Shiri’s face has made her nearly unrecognizable.
Contemporary artist AleXsandro Palombo told Digital, “The perpetrators of this despicable act are cowards who disdain the West and our values of freedom.”
“Removing the Star of David and obscuring Shiri’s face is an attempt to erase history, deny the existence of a people, and impose an ideology that rejects democratic coexistence and seeks to rewrite the present through fear.”
The artwork, located outside the Qatari consulate in Milan, was initially covered with a print last month during a memorial service for the victims of the .
Shiri’s face had been covered by an image originally created by Vancouver street artist iHeart, depicting a crying boy upset over a lack of social media attention. used this image as a base, adding “No War” and a red bullseye over Shiri’s face.
Palombo described the vandalism as an “” last week to Digital.
“Striking the Israeli flag that shielded the children is a way of saying that no place is safe for Jews, not even in the heart of Europe,” Palombo stated.
“The flag in the mural was not merely a cloak protecting the children; it symbolized their belonging, an identity that embraces them while simultaneously exposing them. This gesture of protection embodied the tenderness of a people defending its children, but also the fragility of those who, because of who they are, become targets of hatred.”
The likenesses of the children were also damaged.
Palombo was informed of the complete defacement through private messages on his social media channels.
It remains uncertain whether the artwork will be restored or recreated.
“I will respond as I always have, by continuing my art without retreating, because every attempt at erasure will be an opportunity to reaffirm who we are,” Palombo told Digital.
Other artworks by Palombo, including Sami Modiano, Italian Holocaust survivor Liliana Segre, and Hungarian-born Holocaust survivor Edith Bruck, have been vandalized in the past.
“Free, present, and determined not to retreat even a millimeter before this tsunami of fanaticism, fundamentalism, and mad radicalism,” Palombo affirmed.
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