What was meant to be a relaxing evening on the Greek island of Naxos turned into a deeply distressing experience for three Jewish families from London.
The group, who had been island hopping around the Aegean, say they were publicly humiliated and verbally attacked at a local taverna after a disagreement over a politically charged sticker.
Evening Begins Normally
Jude Lobb, 48, a public affairs professional, had been dining with her husband Andrew and their two teenage daughters at the Axiotissa Taverna.
She described the early part of the evening as enjoyable, with the families settling in for their meal amidst the holiday atmosphere.
The trouble began when one of the teenagers noticed the restroom plastered with stickers, including one stating, “Boycott Israeli apartheid.”
When she tried to remove it, a waitress intervened, telling the family this was unacceptable.
Row Escalates With Restaurateur
According to Ms. Lobb, the situation escalated when the owner, Giannis Vassilas, approached them.
“The waitress came and said it was unacceptable to try and remove the sticker, which led to the row.
I asked her why, with all the problems in the world, they had picked on this one,” she said.
Ms. Lobb said the owner then confronted them directly, shouting, “Get the f** out of my restaurant,”* loud enough for other diners to hear.
Public Humiliation Continues
As the families left, they report being jeered at and clapped at by other patrons.
Nicola Gee, 50, who was dining with her husband and two daughters, said:
“They were shouting ‘Zionists’ at us, and it was that public humiliation which was the most shocking thing.
It felt like we had yellow stars from the Holocaust imprinted on us.”
The verbal abuse continued into the restaurant’s car park, where Vassilas and other diners reportedly shouted that the families were “killing f***ing babies” and supporting genocide.
Some of the incident was captured on video by members of the English group.
Tense Standoff Over the Bill
Complicating the ordeal, the car park gate had been locked, meaning the families could not leave until they paid for their meal. Ms. Gee explained their fear of calling the police, worried they might side with the restaurateur.
Ultimately, they paid the bill and left, prioritizing safety over confrontation.
Families Speak on Emotional Impact
Ms. Lobb highlighted the distress this caused her teenage daughters.
One attempted to explain the context of recent hostages in Gaza, referencing Ariel and Kfir Bibas, but felt ignored.
“They didn’t care about any facts,” she said. “When I asked why this war was the only one they cared about, he couldn’t answer.
We spend our lives learning about antisemitism, but to have something like this happen was just awful.”
Ms. Gee voiced concern about a “new normal” for Jewish people in public spaces amid the ongoing Israel–Hamas conflict, emphasizing that misinformation online is fueling real-world hatred.
Restaurateur Defends Actions
Giannis Vassilas defended his response, insisting the incident began when a diner removed the politically charged sticker. He said:
“The waitress who saw it told this person they had no right to do it since it is private property.
One of the women reacted intensely to our public opinion about the Israeli government.”
Vassilas argued that the restaurant has a history of expressing political views and claimed the family’s aggressive behavior justified asking them to leave.
Online Backlash
Taverna Axiotissa, rated 4.4 stars on Google and 4.2 on TripAdvisor, has since been flooded with reviews criticizing the owner’s conduct, with many highlighting the incident as an example of public anti-Jewish sentiment on the island.
