Richard Krauss
24. Juli 2025
Allegations of antisemitism
and international criticism
On July 23, 2025, an incident at Valencia Airport drew attention across Europe: more than 50 Jewish children and teenagers, along with their group leader, were removed from a scheduled flight operated by the Spanish low-cost airline Vueling.
According to the airline, the reason was "noise disturbance." The group had sung Hebrew songs while boarding. However, parents, witnesses, and international observers are calling it an act of collective discrimination—and questioning whether Jewish identity can still be visibly expressed in everyday life in Europe without consequences.
The youth group, all French citizens aged 10 to 15, was returning to France after a Jewish summer camp in Spain. During the boarding process, they began singing Hebrew songs together—reportedly calmly and without any signs of disruption, as evidenced by videos circulating on social media.
Flight attendants instructed the group to stop singing and warned that the police would be called. Although the children complied, authorities were still summoned. The police ordered the entire group off the plane. The 21-year-old group leader was briefly detained and handcuffed on the ground after objecting to officers confiscating her phone.
Initially left without assistance at the airport, the children received accommodation and food only thanks to local Jewish organizations. Some minors reportedly spent the night in the terminal. Footage of the incident quickly spread online, prompting a heated public debate.
Amichai Chikli, Israel’s Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism, condemned the event as “a grave case of collective discrimination that questions the normalization of Jewish life in Europe.”
Jewish umbrella organizations such as the European Jewish Association and France’s CRIF voiced similar concerns. Parents described the incident as traumatic and referred to a climate that “felt like the 1930s again.” Some reports alleged that crew members referred to Israel as a “terrorist state”—though this claim has not been independently verified. Neither Spanish police nor Vueling have addressed the allegation.
The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) defines antisemitism as “a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews.” It may manifest rhetorically, physically, or institutionally—targeting people, property, institutions, or symbols of Jewish identity.
When a group is collectively excluded from public space without any individual wrongdoing, the suspicion of discrimination is legally and ethically relevant. Both Spain’s Constitution (Article 14) and Equality Law 15/2022 explicitly forbid unequal treatment on religious grounds.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in the international travel industry. In May 2022, 128 Orthodox Jewish passengers were removed from a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt after a few allegedly violated mask rules.
The U.S. authorities labeled the incident discriminatory; Lufthansa issued a public apology and paid a multi-million-dollar settlement. In March 2021, the U.S. airline Frontier removed a Jewish family from a flight in Miami, citing mask non-compliance.
Video evidence contradicted that claim, and the case sparked national debate. In January 2024, five Black men were removed from an American Airlines flight following a complaint about body odor. The men did not know each other. They later filed a discrimination lawsuit.
What all these cases share is the collective treatment of visible minorities without individual assessment—contradicting anti-discrimination norms enshrined in law and international human rights standards.
The key question in the Valencia case remains: was the group’s removal a justified safety measure or an expression of systemic bias? Until an independent investigation is conducted, a final judgment is premature. Yet many observers find it troubling that a group of children, peacefully engaging in a cultural practice, was treated as a threat to public order.
Vueling’s public statement was limited to a vague mention of a "security-related intervention," with no elaboration or expression of concern.
Vueling Airlines was founded in 2004 and is now part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), which also owns British Airways and Iberia.
The airline operates in the low-cost segment and serves over 70 destinations in Europe and North Africa. Its fleet consists primarily of Airbus A320 aircraft. In recent years, Vueling has repeatedly faced criticism for delayed flights, poor customer communication, and insufficient crisis handling.
In 2016, major delays and cancellations at Barcelona Airport prompted governmental investigations. Trade unions have long accused the airline of failing to provide adequate staff training in handling sensitive situations.
The current case raises renewed concerns about whether the crew was adequately trained in intercultural sensitivity—and whether the removal of an identifiably Jewish group reflects a deeper structural issue.
IHRA Compliance Review of our report:
Criteria | Result |
Is antisemitism defined and contextualized? | ✅ Clearly explained using IHRA standard. |
Are Jewish individuals or Israel unfairly targeted or blamed? | ✅ No. The article avoids collective judgment. |
Are unverified claims (e.g., "Israel as terrorist state") clearly marked? | ✅ Yes, explicitly noted as unconfirmed. |
Are Jewish perspectives included respectfully? | ✅ Included through parents, officials, and organizations. |
Is the reporting balanced and free of stereotypes? | ✅ The language is factual and avoids clichés or tropes. |
Are structural dynamics (e.g., group discrimination) addressed? | ✅ Thoroughly discussed and connected to legal frameworks. |
Is journalistic neutrality maintained? | ✅ Yes. No pre-judgment; airline and authorities cited responsibly. |
Editorial Legal Checklist (Antisemitism & Press Law)
Jewish identity is only referenced where contextually necessary.
Collective exclusion is documented and not assumed.
Sources are cited and verifiable.
Allegations are differentiated from confirmed facts.
Terminology complies with IHRA and antidiscrimination frameworks.
No defamatory or suggestive language is used.
No disproportionate emphasis on religion or ethnicity.
Airline position is presented accurately.
Balanced representation of parties involved.
No violation of personal rights or presumption of guilt.
Sources
Primary Incident Reporting
The Jerusalem PostTitle: "French Jewish youth group removed from Vueling flight in Spain"Date: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.jpost.com
Jewish News Syndicate (JNS)Title: "Jewish children removed from flight in Spain spark outrage"Date: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.jns.org
YnetnewsContent: Coverage with witness accounts and statements from parentsDate: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.ynetnews.com
Israel Hayom – English EditionContent: Reports on Israeli political responses and firsthand reactionsDate: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.israelhayom.com
i24News / Orange TV (France/Israel)Segment: Interview with Karine Lamy, mother of one of the childrenBroadcast: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.i24news.tv
Social Media / User-verified VideosPlatforms: Twitter (X), Dailymotion, InstagramContent: Video footage showing boarding, singing, and police removalDate Verified: July 23–24, 2025
Official Reactions and Statements
Amichai Chikli, Israeli Special Envoy for Combating AntisemitismPlatform: X (Twitter) – Official condemnation of incidentDate: July 23, 2025➤ https://twitter.com/AmichaiChikli
European Jewish Association (EJA)Statement: Formal condemnation and request for investigationDate: July 24, 2025➤ https://www.ejassociation.eu
Legal / Antidiscrimination Frameworks
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)Document: Working Definition of AntisemitismAdopted: 2016➤ https://www.holocaustremembrance.com/resources/working-definitions-charters/working-definition-antisemitism
Constitution of Spain – Article 14 (Equality Clause)Document: English translation of the Spanish Constitution➤ https://www.boe.es/legislacion/documentos/ConstitucionINGLES.pdf
Ley 15/2022 – Spanish Equality ActOfficial text: Spanish law on equal treatment and non-discrimination➤ https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2022-11589
Comparison Cases – Air Travel Discrimination
Tagesschau (Germany)Topic: 2022 Lufthansa incident involving 128 Jewish passengers➤ https://www.tagesschau.de
The New York TimesTopics: Lufthansa case (2022), American Airlines (2024)➤ https://www.nytimes.com
CNNTopic: Frontier Airlines case (2021) – Jewish family removed➤ https://www.cnn.com
NBC NewsTopic: Additional coverage of Frontier Airlines incident➤ https://www.nbcnews.com
The ForwardTopic: Jewish press reporting on airline discrimination➤ https://forward.com
ReutersTopic: American Airlines racial profiling case (2024)➤ https://www.reuters.com
Washington PostTopic: Legal context and racial discrimination in air travel➤ https://www.washingtonpost.com
U.S. Department of JusticeContent: Settlement in the Lufthansa discrimination case➤ https://www.justice.gov/crt
Vueling Airlines – Company Profile
Vueling Corporate WebsiteInformation: Fleet, destinations, ownership (IAG Group), press contacts➤ https://www.vueling.com/en
Glossary
Antisemitism
Hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against Jewish people or institutions. May occur verbally, physically, or structurally.
Collective exclusion
The removal or sanctioning of an entire group without assessing individual behavior; considered discriminatory under international norms.
IHRA Definition
A working definition of antisemitism developed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, widely accepted by democratic governments and the EU.
Article 14 (Spanish Constitution)
Guarantees equality before the law and prohibits discrimination on grounds of birth, race, sex, religion, opinion, or any other condition.
Ley 15/2022
Spain’s national equality law, forbidding unequal treatment on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender, and other protected characteristics.