The assassination of Symon Petliura by Sholom Schwartzbard in Paris was a significant incident tied to the tumultuous history of Ukrainian-Jewish relations post-World War I. Petliura, a leader of the Ukrainian People's Republic, was in exile in France after his government fell to Soviet forces. Petliura’s government has been accused of failing to protect the Jewish population during the tumultuous period of 1917-1921, leading to various pogroms that claimed thousands of Jewish lives. Schwartzbard, a Jewish activist and émigré from Ukraine, took the drastic step of assassination as a form of retribution for these atrocities when he fatally shot Petliura in the café Le Zodiaque on the Rue de la Victoire on May 25, 1926. Schwartzbard portrayed himself as a defender of Jewish victims and hoped to bring attention to the plight of the Jewish people in Ukraine at that time.

Following the shooting, Schwartzbard was arrested and expressed his motives publicly, claiming he aimed to seek justice for the victims of Petliura's regime. His trial attracted immense media attention and raised difficult questions about justice, advocacy, and the appropriate means of addressing historical grievances. The court proceedings reflected deep divisions in public sentiment, with some viewing Schwartzbard as a hero and others as a criminal. Ultimately, the jury acquitted him, leading to further discussions about the complex interplay of nationalism, violence, and the legacy of anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe. This case drew significant international media coverage, leaving a lasting impact on the discourse surrounding nationalism and minority rights.