Struggle
16-04-2007 / Australia
Australia- classification against Inciting Muslim DVD's reviewed
The DVD's, a series of talks by controversial Sydney Sheik Feiz Mohammed, have already sparked controversy in Britain where they were found being sold in a mosque car park. The move comes as federal Attorney will push the states within the next two weeks to make laws banning the DVD's. The state agreed a year ago to change their laws to ban material that praises terrorism, but have not acted yet. The DVDs, which were made nearly five years ago, include excerpts that chided Muslim parents for not sending their children to Islamic lessons for fear they would want to become martyrs. "We want to have children and offer them as soldiers defending Islam." Sheik Feiz said in one.
Date: April 16, 2007
Posted: May 7, 2007
16-04-2007 / Russia
Russia– Punishment for a Racist Youth in Korgon
On 16th April 2007, a court in the town of Korgon handed down a suspended sentence to Yaroslav Kozlov, 18, a resident of that town, as well as a 500 ruble fine (about 191 dollars), because since the age of 15 he has been engaged in antisemitic activities as a member of an underground neo-Nazi organization.
Date: April 16, 2007
Posted: May 30,2007
16-04-2007 / Russia
Russia– A Youth Sentenced and Fined for Antisemitic Activities in Kurgan
On 16th April 2007, a court in the town of Kurgan handed down a one-year suspended sentence and a 5,000 ruble fine to an 18-year-old youth found guilty of having engaged in racist and antisemitic activities from the age of 15 and of being a member of an underground neo-Nazi organization.
Date: April 16, 2007
14-04-2007 / Britain
Britain– Government gets tough on antisemitism
Responding to the findings of a parliamentary inquiry into the rising tide of anti-Semitism in the United Kingdom, the British government made 35 recommendations to combat what one official called "the absolute scourge of our society." The recommendations include: improving the recording and reporting of anti-Semitic incidents; reviewing and strengthening the prosecution process; accelerating efforts to confront extremist groups that spread hate; promoting community cohesion through education about different faiths; and trying to prevent racial or religious intolerance on university campuses.
A report in February published by the Community Security Trust, which represents the Jewish community on matters of anti-Semitism, terrorism, policing and security, showed anti-Semitic incidents in the United Kingdom at record levels since documentation began in 1984.
The minister for local government said that on campuses there was increasing evidence of activities well beyond freedom of speech or normal youthful behavior that crossed the line into antisemitism. One measure suggested to tackle this problem was for the government's hate crime task force to look at the matter with urgency.
Labor MP Dennis MacShane, chairman of the parliamentary inquiry, said antisemitism was being accepted in some parts of British society instead of being condemned and stated that the report underlined the extent to which all of Parliament accepts that antisemitism had returned as an evil ideology in British politics. He noted the opposition in Parliament, across all parties, to the idea of boycotting Israeli academic institutions.
A report in February published by the Community Security Trust, which represents the Jewish community on matters of anti-Semitism, terrorism, policing and security, showed anti-Semitic incidents in the United Kingdom at record levels since documentation began in 1984.
The minister for local government said that on campuses there was increasing evidence of activities well beyond freedom of speech or normal youthful behavior that crossed the line into antisemitism. One measure suggested to tackle this problem was for the government's hate crime task force to look at the matter with urgency.
Labor MP Dennis MacShane, chairman of the parliamentary inquiry, said antisemitism was being accepted in some parts of British society instead of being condemned and stated that the report underlined the extent to which all of Parliament accepts that antisemitism had returned as an evil ideology in British politics. He noted the opposition in Parliament, across all parties, to the idea of boycotting Israeli academic institutions.
Source: JTA
Date:14/04/07
Posted:16/04/07
13-04-2007 / Belgium
Belgium– EU organizes a video conference on the Shoah
On Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust Remembrance Day, on 16 April 2007, the EU’s Fundamental Rights Agency is organizing a video conference with Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust authority, to emphasize the role of education in combating anti-Semitism and racial hatred.
FRA together with Yad Vashem will bring together a group of Austrian pupils to speak, via video conference, with holocaust survivors in Israel. The Holocaust survivors give testimony about their lives during the Nazi terror: Without past you do not have a future. The pupils will also learn about current educational initiatives to combat anti-Semitism and racism.
FRA Interim Director, Beate Winkle said, “In order to combat anti-Semitism and racism we need a very strong and clear political leadership. Therefore, I welcome the proposed EU Framework Decision on Combating Racism and Xenophobia, which draws also attention to the transnational dimension of racist acts and the corresponding need for a response at European level. This proposed EU legislation would ensure that, throughout the European Union, racist and xenophobic acts are punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive criminal penalties. FRA calls on EU governments to adopt this proposed EU legislation, which would make illegal, among others, public incitement to racist violence and hatred.”
In order to provide policy makers with a firm basis for anti-racist policies, FRA collects data and information on racist crime, anti-Semitism, and discrimination across the EU. The available data indicate an increase in anti-Semitic activity in some EU Member States over the past years, with incidents ranging from hate mail to arson.
Source: ENAR (European Network Against Racism)
Date: 13 April 2007
Posted: 16/04/07
13-04-2007 / Russia
Russia– The Arrest of two Youths in Connection with Antisemitic Propaganda in Yekaterinburg
On 13th April 2007, two 17-year-old youths were arrested for disseminating antisemitic propaganda. The two had tattooed swastikas and an eight-pointed star with Hitler's image onto anything they could get their hands on.
Date: April 13, 2007
Posted: May 30,2007
12-04-2007 / United States
USA - U.S. Commission on Civil Rights to Launch Website against Campus Antisemitism
On Friday, April 13, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights will launch a Web site that contributes to ending campus anti-Semitism by educating college students and others about anti-Semitism, urging victims and witnesses of anti-Semitism to report such incidents, and listing sources of assistance for students. This Web site is part of a campaign that the Commission undertook following the occurrence of anti-Semitic incidents on many of the nation’s university and college campuses and receiving testimony from a panel of experts that too many college students are unaware of their rights and protections against anti-Semitic behavior. Campaign materials include the Commission’s recent report Campus Anti-Semitism , and posters, postcards, and e-messages that will direct students to the Web site.
Source: www.judeoscope.ca
Date: 12 April 2007
Posted: 12 April 2007
12-04-2007 / Ukraine
Ukraine– President calls for measures against vandalism of Jewish and memorial sites
Ukraine's president demanded that measures be taken to stop vandalism against Jewish and other memorial sites in the country. In a letter sent Wednesday to the prosecutor general, security service chief and interior minister, Viktor Yuschenko cited the recent increase in attacks on Jewish cemeteries as well as monuments honoring Ukraine's national heroes and World War II victims. According to the letter, the number of extremist groups in Ukraine is also on the rise. Yuschenko said the country's law enforcement agencies should take measures to arrest and punish the vandals.
Source: JTA
Date: 12/04/07
Posted: 16/04/07
12-04-2007 / Russia
Russia– Pressure to protect Jewish teen from attacks
Community leaders in the southern Russian city Sulyaevsky are pressing local authorities to protect a Jewish teen following an anti-Semitic attack. The 16-year-old boy was severely beaten by his neighbor and was hospitalized with head injuries and a broken nose.
Citing the possibility of further attacks, the youth and his family will not return to their village. Community activists in Volgograd have appealed to the regional prosecutor's office and the region's human rights ombudsman in an attempt to expedite the investigation
Citing the possibility of further attacks, the youth and his family will not return to their village. Community activists in Volgograd have appealed to the regional prosecutor's office and the region's human rights ombudsman in an attempt to expedite the investigation
Source: JTA
Date:12/04/07
Posted:6/04/07
12-04-2007 / Canada
Canada – Suspects arrested for firebombing in Montreal
Montreal police have arrested two suspects for allegedly firebombing a Jewish community centre in April and school in September '06. The two suspects, 22-year-old Azim Ibragimov and 24-year-old Omar Bulphred, Canadian-born Muslims of Russian descent, are both charged with arson of a Jewish community centre in April '07 and the firebombing of a an orthodox Jewish school in September '06. Police also allege the men are linked to a car bombing and a kidnapping plot. The police claim they have strong evidence that the motive for the offences was hate.
Thesuspects are also alleged to have uttered, on 5 September '06, death threats against a member of the Jewish community and have threatened to burn, destroy or damage belonging to the Jewish community.
Sources: CTV.ca News
The Montreal Gazette
Date: 13/04/07
Posted: 18/04/07
11-04-2007 / United States
USA – Original way to fight anti-Semitism
Alan Dershowitz, one of the top lawyers in the country, uses his BlackBerry to communicate with his law students as well as other lawyers he is working on cases with. But there's something else Dershowitz uses his BlackBerry for. Seems that Dershowitz receives anti-Semitic emails on his BlackBerry.
"This maybe isn’t so good: I get a lot of hate mail, especially anti-Semitic hate mail," Dershowitz is quoted as saying. "I never used to respond to it, but now I do sometimes find myself answering, because with my BlackBerry it’s often just too tempting to email something clever back right away. I have a standard response:
Thank you for contributing to my new book, in which I am collecting all the anti-Semitic mail I have received. Your contribution will be noted and included. All the proceeds will go to fighting bigotry of the kind expressed in your letter.
Source: http://blogs.zdnet.com
Date: 11.4.2007
Posted: 12.1.2007
By Russell Shaw
10-04-2007 / Russia
Russia – A Religious Group Using Nazi Symbols Declared Illegal
On 10th April 2007, a court in the city of Krasnodar forbade the activities of a Russian Orthodox religious group calling itself Vek Ra. The group has been active in the city since the year 2000 and among its major symbols are the swastika and the Nazi salute. The court based its decision on a clause in the "Law of Preservation of the Victory of the Russian People in the Second World War in 1941-1945". In addition, the symbols used were found to be a breach of the clause dealing with the struggle against extremist activity.
Source:
http://www.newsru.com/
Date: 10th April 2007
Posted: 22th April 2007
08-04-2007 / Poland
Poland - Polish teenagers demonstrate against anti-Semitic graffiti
Concerned Polish teenagers have held a vocal demonstration against anti-Semitism in Lodz, the second largest city of Poland, displaying pictures of anti-Semitic slogans painted on many of the buildings in the city.
Around 60 youngsters participated in the event held at Lodz city hall, where hundreds of Lodz residents marched through the city, painting over anti-Semitic and other racist graffiti.
At the city hall demo, the teenagers held up pictures of a number of buildings in Lodz which have been covered with anti-Semitic slogans such as “Jews to the gas!”.
The teenagers appealed to the city’s Mayor, Jerzy Kropiwnicki in a petition. “We appeal to you to intensify fight with authors of graffiti and the graffiti itself,” they said. “We want the anti-Semitic slogans, which are offending all residents of our city, to disappear”.
Source:
www.ejpress.org
Date: 08/Apr/2007
Posted: 10/Apr/2007
By Mike Urbaniak
04-04-2007 / United States
USA - Man sentenced in temple attack
An unapologetic white supremacist, Jacob Albert Laskey, 26, was sentenced to 11 years and three months in prison for throwing swastika-engraved rocks through windows at Temple Beth Israel in Eugene and then attempting to intimidate witnesses to avoid prosecution.
The attack disrupted a service attended by 80 worshippers on the night of Oct. 25, 2002. The assailants drove away in the dark and eluded capture for almost three years. The incident sparked a public vigil in which hundreds of people joined the congregation to denounce the attack.
Source:
www.registerguard.com
Date: April 4, 2007
Posted: April 5, 2007
By Bill Bishop
04-04-2007 / United States
USA - Richardson’s CBA contract not renewed
The Albany Patroons didn’t renew Micheal Ray Richardson’s coaching contract Wednesday following his suspension for alleged anti-gay and anti-Semitic remarks.
The former NBA player was suspended for the team’s last two Continental Basketball Association playoff games on March 28, a day after he told the Times Union of Albany that he had ”big-time Jew lawyers” working for him. The coach yelled at hecklers during the first playoff game, using a profanity and gay slur.
Richardson said he apologized to the hecklers after the game and to anyone who was offended by his other quoted remarks.
”I am not anti-Semitic,” he said. ”I was giving compliments. It’s like saying the NBA is 85 percent black.”
Source: sports.bostonherald.com
Date: April 4, 2007
Posted: April 5, 2007
By Associated Press
04-04-2007 / United States
USA – Sentence Handed Down for a Man who Attacked a Synagogue in Oregon
On 4th April 2007, Jacob Lasrey, 26, who defines himself as a white supremacist, admitted at his trial that he wanted to carry out acts of violence against Jews, Blacks and other ethnic groups. He admitted that he had tossed stones through the windows of Temple Beth Israel while there were 80 worshippers in the building and also smeared swastikas on the site. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Date: 4th April 2007
Posted: 23th April 2007
30-03-2007 / Britain
Britain - Britain to fight anti-Semitism
In a report released this week, a British Cabinet minister vowed to increase activities against anti-Semitism. The report by British Race and Faith Minister Phil Woolas provides a detailed response to points raised in last year's All-Party Parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism, which strongly condemned a rise in anti-Semitic incidents in the United Kingdom and Europe. The Department of Communities and Local Government said the response was part of a comprehensive cross-government strategy to tackle hate crimes in the United Kingdom based on faith and race.
Representatives of Britain's Jewish community met this week with members of the recently-formed Department of Communities and Local Government to discuss implementing the recommendations. In a statement Thursday, Jon Benjamin, chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said, "It is notable that the government’s response acknowledged that there may have been a tendency in the past not to take anti-Semitism as seriously as other forms of racism. With this robust response...we look forward to working closely with government and others to take forward the report’s recommendations.”
Source:
http://www.jta.org/
Date: 30.3.2007
Posted: 30.3.2007
29-03-2007 / Britain
Britain- Government response to the All-party parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism
On 29 March the British government published a response and recommendations regarding the report of the All- Party parliamentary Inquiry into Anti-Semitism published in September 2006. The Inquiry was set up in the wake of the sharp rise in anti-Semitism that has been recorded in recent years.
Date: 29/03/07
28-03-2007 / Moldova
Moldova – Arrest of Suspects in Cemetery Desecration
On 28th March 2007, five young vandals were arrested on suspicion of desecrating the Jewish cemetery in Chisinau (Kishinev).
Source: UCSJ
Date: 28th March 2007
Posted: 19th April 2007
27-03-2007 / Germany
Germany - Merkel determined to lead battle against anti-Semitism in Europe
German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly said she was determined to lead the battle against the resurgence of anti-Semitism throughout Europe, during a meeting in Berlin with the European Jewish Congress leadership.
Her pledge came after the European Jewish body, which had asked for the meeting, expressed its concern about the rising problem and asked Germany “to act stronger” against it.
The EJC also discussed with Merkel a German proposal to harmonize hate crime legislation throughout the European Union.
Germany currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.
Source:
www.ejpress.org
Date: 27/03/07
Posted: 28/03/07
By Joseph Byron
