A Jewish lesbian couple were thrown out of a Spanish LGBTQ+ sauna after one of the other customers saw one of them wearing a Star of David pendant.
The incident took place in Sauna Thermas in Barcelona, which on its website advertises itself as a ‘gay sauna’ that ‘welcomes everybody’.
The sauna has since condemned the incident and blamed the organisers of a private event held at its premises on May 29.
A video of the incident shows a North American woman being asked by a woman at the spa, apparently an event organiser: ‘Are you a Zionist person?’
‘Why did you ask me that question?’ the customer replies, before asking: ‘Because I’m wearing a Jewish star?’
Another woman then joined the tense exchange, saying: ‘The question is not Jewish, it’s Zionist.’
The customer’s partner – who recorded the incident – is then chastised for filming from within the spa, and the couple are promptly escorted out of the premises.
‘We don’t condone genocide, we are sorry,’ someone at the spa says. ‘We don’t either!’ the woman recording replies.
A video of the incident shows a North American Jewish woman being asked by a woman at the spa (pictured), apparently an event organiser: ‘Are you a Zionist person?’
Another woman then joined the conversation, saying, ‘The question is not Jewish, it’s Zionist’
The couple, who are apparently married, leave the spa in shock, with one repeatedly saying ‘wow’ as they walk down the street
‘Free Palestine, please leave. Free Palestine, please leave,’ a woman at the spa says, before another adds: ‘You’re not welcome, go.’
The couple, standing on the street, attempt to negotiate with a security guard, saying: ‘We won’t record anything, we just want to go in and have a good time with everyone. We’re going to put our phones in our lockers, it’s just weird as hell to do this.’
The event organisers then threaten to call the police, as crowds of other customers queue to enter the venue.
‘Just so everyone knows, I’m wearing a Jewish star and she asked me if I was a Zionist and said I couldn’t come in,’ says the woman who is filming.
The couple, who are apparently married, leave the spa in shock, with one of the women repeatedly saying ‘wow’ as they walk down the street.
‘Welcome to Barcelona,’ she says sarcastically, before the video ends.
Sauna Thermas has since publicly condemned the incident, distancing itself from the event organisers.
‘We deeply regret and unequivocally condemn the events that took place at our venue,’ the company wrote on X.
‘We wish to state with absolute clarity that we reject any form of antisemitism, racism, xenophobia, discrimination, or conduct that undermines the dignity of any individual.’
In a written statement, Sauna Thermas said the exchange took place ‘during a private event held at our premises’.
‘We want to make it unequivocally clear that our venue completely disassociates itself from the actions and comments of the organisers of that event, who denied entry to several individuals in a manner that was entirely unacceptable.’
The video shows the event organisers threaten to call the police
The event organisers, Bolleras al Vapor, ‘will no longer hold events at our premises’, the company wrote.
‘We firmly believe that the actions of governments around the world do not represent entire populations or their citizens.
‘Geopolitical conflicts can never serve as a justification for hatred, censorship, or discrimination against individuals in a social or recreational environment.
‘Our position is clear: we do not take sides in international political conflicts, and we condemn any decisions made by private event organisers that are contrary to our philosophy and values.’
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the incident, writing on X: ‘Another antisemitic attack in Spain. Let’s be clear: targeting Jews because of Jewish symbols – and demanding they distance themselves from Zionism to be accepted – is blatant antisemitism.
‘Jewish identity and Zionism are inseparable. Authorities must act decisively.’
The Jewish community of Barcelona (CIB) reacted to the incident on X, writing: ‘Today we denounce facts that should shame our society.
‘A North American Jewish woman and her wife were denied entry last night to a thermal spa simply for being Jewish.’
The group demanded ‘the immediate intervention of the specialised services on discrimination and hate crimes’.
‘No citizen in Barcelona or Catalonia should be excluded for their religion, origin, or identity. We cannot normalise or tolerate this reality. It is unacceptable.’
