An attempted arson attack on a Jewish restaurant in Madrid has highlighted the persistent threat of violent antisemitism in Spain. The incident, which took place on 4 March 2025, targeted the kosher pizzeria Rimmon, located in the Chamberí district, just a few minutes’ walk from the city’s main synagogue. The restaurant was open, with customers inside, when the attacker tried to set fire to the entrance using gasoline and other flammable materials.
According to the police investigation, the suspect was 23-year-old Anoar Lamfaddi Korol, a Philosophy student at the University of Murcia. The arson attempt failed due to a combination of the perpetrator’s mistakes and chance, preventing a potential tragedy for those inside the establishment.
The National Police received an emergency call at 22:40 reporting the attempted fire. Upon arrival, officers found the restaurant entrance doused in gasoline, along with incendiary tablets, flammable oils, and a lighter. They also discovered a briefcase containing several bottles emitting a strong smell of fuel. Evidence indicated that the attack had been planned in advance, with full awareness that diners were present, which could have resulted in fatalities.
The investigation relied on security camera footage from nearby businesses and bank branches, capturing the suspect approaching the restaurant with a dark briefcase and fleeing the scene afterwards. Witness testimonies confirmed that the attacker acted deliberately and with intent to cause serious harm.
Authorities also linked the attack to the suspect’s extremist ideology. Weeks prior, Lamfaddi had self-published a book rife with antisemitic propaganda, in which fictional attacks were described against Jewish targets, including the Israeli embassy and a synagogue in Madrid. The police concluded that the book, combined with the choice of location and methods, confirmed the attack was motivated by antisemitic hatred.
Tracing the objects used in the attempted arson led investigators to a supermarket receipt and facial recognition software, which helped identify the suspect. After the attack, Lamfaddi fled to Italy, but returned to Spain weeks later, where he was arrested in Murcia by the Madrid Provincial Intelligence Brigade. At the time of his arrest, authorities feared he might be planning another violent act.
The case comes amid a broader rise in antisemitic hate crimes in Spain. According to the Ministry of the Interior, such offences increased significantly in 2025, a trend that has alarmed both authorities and the Jewish community. Although the Rimmon arson attempt was unsuccessful, investigators consider it a particularly serious example of violent radicalisation with lethal potential.
Judicial proceedings remain ongoing, while security forces stress the importance of prevention, early detection of hate speech, and protection of places of worship and spaces associated with religious minorities.
