US tourist arrested in Israel for smashing ancient Roman statues he considered 'blasphemous'

A US tourist has been arrested in Israel for smashing ancient Roman statues in a Jerusalem museum because he considered them to be 'blasphemous' and 'in violation of the Torah.'

The 40-year-old tourist was arrested by Israel Police yesterday, October 5,  for intentionally damaging ancient Roman statues displayed at the Israel Museum.

The museum said that the only two artifacts destroyed were 'ancient Roman statues dating to the 2nd century CE' housed in the archaeology wing.

Authorities shared images of the sculptures on the floor, one with a severed head and the other broken into several pieces.

Security forces detained the suspect in the museum before the police arrived after he was seen damaging the statues, which police said have 'sentimental' value.

The museum provided a photograph of a stick they said the suspect was holding in the building that may have been used in the incident, The Times of Israel reports.

The suspect was questioned by police, who intend to request for a judge to deny bail.

The initial assessment is that the man damaged the statues because he believes they are 'against the Torah,' according to a police statement.

The statues were transferred to the museum's conservation lab for professional restoration, the police statement added.

Eli Escusido, head of Israel Antiquities Authority said: 'One statue is a marble depiction of the goddess Athena that was found in excavations at Beit She'an in the 1960s. The second was of the mythological creature Griffin, who was the symbol of divinity in the Roman pagan era and found in the Negev.'

'This is a shocking case of destruction of cultural heritage. We view with great concern the fact that religious extremists take such action,' he said.

The museum said the attack was 'worrying' and 'severe,' but noted that it would not affect its operations or opening hours.

'This is an unusual incident,' the museum said in a statement.

'We condemn all forms of violence and hope such events do not happen again.'

Police said the investigation is ongoing. The suspect was set to be brought in front of the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on Thursday to extend his arrest.

 

The Israel Museum is the largest cultural institution in the State of Israel and is ranked among the world's leading art and archaeology museums.