Israel Museum has described “as a troubling and unusual event,” an act of vandalism in which second-century Roman statues were defaced and which the alleged perpetrator’s lawyer says was caused by Jerusalem syndrome, a condition believed to cause disorientation in individuals due to the religious magnetism of the city, often leading them to believe they are biblical figures.
According to the authorities, the suspect, identified as a 40-year-old Jewish American tourist, claimed to have smashed the statues because he deemed them idolatrous and contradictory to the Torah. However, his lawyer, Nick Kaufman, argued that the tourist was suffering from a mental disorder known as the Jerusalem syndrome.
The suspect has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation, and his name has not been released due to a gag order. This incident, along with recent acts of aggression towards Christian worshippers by radical ultra-Orthodox Jews, has created a sense of unease among tourists and sparked condemnation.
The Israeli government, through Eli Escusido of the Israel Antiquities Authority, expressed alarm over the destruction of cultural values and noted the concern surrounding the targeting of historical objects by religiously motivated extremists.
