A group of around 50 Jewish children and teens from France were removed from a Vueling Airlines flight in Valencia after reportedly singing Hebrew songs, triggering accusations of antisemitism and international condemnation.
Their 21-year-old summer camp director was arrested by Spanish police during the incident.
The children, aged 10 to 15, were returning from a Jewish summer camp when the incident occurred.
According to eyewitnesses and reports from Jewish media outlets, the group began singing Hebrew songs while waiting for takeoff.
Though initially asked by the crew to stop, tensions escalated when local law enforcement was summoned.
Video footage circulating online shows the moment police boarded the plane and instructed the group to disembark. The group’s director attempted to intervene when officers allegedly demanded the children place their phones on the ground, apparently to prevent them from filming. She was subsequently handcuffed, removed from the aircraft, and later released after reportedly signing a non-disclosure agreement.
Parents and Jewish community leaders have expressed outrage, describing the incident as a blatant act of antisemitic discrimination. “The children were traumatized,” said Karine Lamy, the mother of one camper. “This feels like a scene from another era. They were targeted simply for expressing their culture.”
Children on the flight were reportedly wearing traditional Jewish garments such as tzitzit and Star of David necklaces. Some claimed airline staff made disparaging remarks, including references to Israel as a “terrorist state.”
Spanish authorities cited “disruptive behavior” as the reason for removal, though no further details were given. The group has since been stranded at Valencia Airport while efforts are made to secure alternative transportation back to France. A local Jewish organization has stepped in to provide meals and lodging.
Israeli Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, condemned the incident, sharing arrest footage on social media and calling it “one of the most disturbing antisemitic incidents in recent memory.”