Liège synagogue explosion was 'antisemitic act' says mayor

An explosion damaged the entrance of a synagogue in Liège on Monday morning, in what local authorities have described as a serious act of antisemitic violence.

The blast occurred in the early hours of the morning, at about 4.00, outside the synagogue, causing material damage to the building but no injuries.

Police quickly secured the area and launched an investigation into the incident.

According to RTBF, investigators believe the device used was “a homemade incendiary and explosive device, made in a very rudimentary way, using firecrackers in particular”.

Liège mayor Willy Demeyer (PS) strongly condemned the incident, calling it “an extremely violent act of antisemitism contrary to Liege's tradition of respect for others.”

Belgian prime minister Bart De Wever (N-VA) also reacted on X, expressing solidarity with the Jewish community.

“Antisemitism is an attack against our values and our society, and we must fight it unequivocally. We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community of Liège and the entire country,” he wrote.

Local religious leaders said the attack came as a shock, noting that relations between the Jewish community and local residents have generally been positive.

"There was no reason for this to happen," said Joshua Nejman, the head rabbi of the synagogue. "The dialogue with members of the community has always been very good.

"We don’t know what could have happened. The investigation will tell us if the perpetrator is mentally unstable or if it was an antisemitic act.”

Police are analysing surveillance footage and forensic evidence to identify the person responsible. The explosion damaged the synagogue’s entrance but did not cause structural damage to the building.

Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive, but the case is being treated as a serious criminal investigation.

Security around Jewish sites throughout Belgium has also been reinforced as a precaution to possible further attacks.