A Belgian daily is under fire for a cartoon that critics say refers to the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood of Antwerp as “coronavirus village.”
The August 7 drawing by artist Pierre Kroll in the French-speaking daily Le Soir, who has faced previous allegations of antisemitism for several previous drawings, shows a tourist bus under the title “Go Visit Antwerp.” An Orthodox Jewish man is cycling nearby without wearing a face mask, several of which are seen on the ground around the bus. A speech balloon above the bus driver reads: “After the zoo, we’ll go tour ‘Coronavirus Village’.”
In a 2010 interview for L’avenir, Kroll said he “can’t stand being accused of antisemitism” because he is not, and he has “many Jewish friends.”
The Orthodox Jewish community of Antwerp has had fewer than 20 deaths from the coronavirus, largely thanks to an early and vigilant adherence to anti-contagion measures.