A pro-Palestinian activist vandalized a wax statue of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Museo de Cera in Mexico City on Tuesday. The incident, captured on video and widely shared on social media, shows the masked individual smashing the statue’s face with a hammer after pouring red paint over it.
The attacker left a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) flag at the base of the statue and declared in Spanish: “Long live Palestine. Long live Sudan. Long live Yemen. Long live Puerto Rico,” before pushing the statue to the floor.
The act was highlighted on the Instagram page of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement in Mexico. A post accompanying the video stated: “Destroying Netanyahu’s statue at the wax museum. At the base of the statue, a Palestinian flag and red paint symbolizing the blood of the residents of Gaza can be seen.”
The Museo de Cera has not issued a statement regarding the incident.
This is not the first time acts of vandalism have targeted symbols of Israel in Mexico. Last winter, artwork depicting Israeli hostages was defaced in Oaxaca. In May, pro-Hamas rioters set fire to the Israeli Embassy in Mexico City.
The recent incident underscores the rising tensions and global protests surrounding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, with activists increasingly targeting symbolic representations of Israeli leadership.