February 15, 2004

HATE UPDATE

The anti-Semitism that isn’t happening in Europe just keeps on not happening:

Prominent Jews in Britain are being targeted in a wave of anti-Semitic harassment by far-Right and Islamic fundamentalist organisations.

The incidents have emerged as police prepare to release figures this week showing that Britain saw a significant rise in anti-Semitic incidents in 2003.

Australians shouldn’t imagine we’re immune from this. Anti-Semitic incidents are on the rise locally, too:

Recall that in March a pod of confused anti-war protesters trashed St Andrew's Cathedral in Sydney, mistaking it for a synagogue. Almost as bad were the letters published in various Australian newspapers following Mahathir Mohamad's statement that "Jews rule the world by proxy. They get others to fight and die for them." Alarmingly, several correspondents seemed to support the Malaysian simpleton. The Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of Contemporary Anti-Semitism and Racism at Tel Aviv University reports that last year Australia recorded 625 episodes of anti-Semitism – "the highest annual number of reports of anti-Jewish violence, vandalism, harassment and intimidation since the commencement of national record keeping in 1989". In 1997, for example, only 246 anti-Semitic crimes were reported.

Posted by Tim Blair at February 15, 2004 02:48 PM
Comments

note that they make sure to say that "right wing" groups are also part of the violence.

Posted by: sean at February 15, 2004 at 03:00 PM

One of my favorite *anti-semites are idiots* stories happened in Denver about 10 years ago. There is a large Greek Orthodox church, with a large cross, across the street from a large synagogue. (and every June they have a Greek festival with amazing food, the Greeks that is.) Anyway, a couple of neo-nazi brain surgeon types spray painted swastikas and *kill the Jews* on the church thinking it was the synagogue. I wish I had kept the news articles, because the quotes from the Orthodox priest and the rabbi were pretty funny, in a dead pan, geez these nazis are stupid kinda way.

Posted by: Polly at February 15, 2004 at 04:22 PM

As three of our posts from last week suggest, the European press plays a subtle but significant role in legitimising anti-semetism.

Don't Fence Me Out

Suha Arafat's Millions and Malnourished Palestinian Children


Throwing Shadows on Our Eyes: The Irish Times and the Holocaust

Posted by: Bran at February 15, 2004 at 05:07 PM

From Merde in France, I haven't seen this discussed anywhere else:

'Filthy Jews!', 'Death to Jews!', 'We're going to kill you!'. This is what was yelled out Saturday night by 30 young French spectators at the Israeli singer Shirel who was singing at the 'Pièces Jaunes' ('Small Change') charity event. Swastikas were drawn in the air by young spectators. Bernadette Chirac, French First Lady, stood silent beside the singer in a singular display of French capitulation. The event was televised by TF1 and an edited version will be shown.

No one called the police. No one confronted the punks..no one in the crowd of 5000 said anything, although Mrs Chirac said afterwards that she was "saddened" by the whole thing.

The dissident frogman has more coverage.

Posted by: KellyW. at February 16, 2004 at 12:10 AM

Years ago my children used to laugh at me when I said, "It can happen again". And when they asked me to explain why I thought that, my answer was, "It always does."

Posted by: Ted at February 16, 2004 at 02:29 AM

[Racist excrement removed -- The Management.]

Posted by: Miranda Divide at February 16, 2004 at 12:51 PM