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Holocaust Survivor's Memorial Bench Vandalized in Hate Crime

1/8/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The audio bench honoring Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster was vandalized and discarded in a frozen lake at Clowes Park, Salford, on January 7, 2026.
The bench, created by Salford City Council in 2019, allowed visitors to hear Ferster's testimony.
Marc Fertser, the grandson of Chaim Ferster, expressed pain over the destruction, linking it to ongoing antisemitism in society.
The incident has been reported to the police as a hate crime.

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Story summary

The audio bench honoring Holocaust survivor Chaim Ferster was vandalized and discarded in a frozen lake at Clowes Park, Salford, on January 7, 2026.
The bench, created by Salford City Council in 2019, allowed visitors to hear Ferster's testimony.
Marc Fertser, the grandson of Chaim Ferster, expressed pain over the destruction, linking it to ongoing antisemitism in society.
The incident has been reported to the police as a hate crime.