Footage has emerged of what appears to be a group of Jewish holidaymakers removing a cross made of stones on a Welsh hill and using the rocks to create a Star of David display.
The 60-foot-long cross was found in the popular tourist hub of Llandudno, North Wales.
Footage has emerged of what appears to be a group of Jewish holidaymakers removing a cross made of stones on a Welsh hill and using the rocks to create a Star of David display
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The footage sparked outrage online after it showed what looked to be a group of youngsters wearing traditional kippah headwear removing stones from the much-loved Christian display.
It went on to show the youths take the stones further along the hill and make a Star of David, the symbol of the Jewish faith.
It is unknown whether the Star of David display was finished by the group, or how many of the stones which made up the cross were taken.
Adults accompanying the group appeared to look on while the group dismantled the structure.
Initial footage of the incident was posted on Facebook, which sparked furious reactions in the comment section.
One user fumed: “If a Christian dismantled a Star of David to build a cross, we would be put in prison and face hate crimes.”
Another commented: “Sorry… but this cross has been on the Orme for years… show respect to any religion.”
After the video surfaced, locals headed to the hillside to restore the stones back to their original positions – and the cross was restored fully by the end of the weekend.
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Orthodox Jewish communities have visited Llandudno for over 100 years
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Scott Puddey, who helped to restore the landmark, said: “I’ve just been up the Orme and thankfully normal service has been restored.
“I just finished off the last couple of corners just to make sure, as someone has already cleared most of it.
“I helped restore the cross not for any religious purpose, just that it’s been a part of Llandudno for more than 50 years and looked after by locals and holidaymakers alike.”
Orthodox Jewish communities have visited Llandudno for over 100 years.
Professor Nathan Adams, who has documented Jewish history in the north of Wales, said: “These actions, if verified, have been committed by a tiny minority of Jews and should not be allowed to obscure the long history of Jews visiting and living in Llandudno that dates back over a hundred years.
“Llandudno has and continues to have a fascinating Jewish heritage, which we are continuing to explore.
‘However, these actions in no way justify the outpouring of antisemitic prejudice I have read on Facebook, and it didn’t take much to reveal the depth of prejudice bubbling beneath the surface.”
