Burghaun, Germany: Playground Vandalized with Anti-Semitic Graffiti

December 08, 2009.

Unknown culprits spray painted swastikas and Nazi slogans on the entrance gates to a playground in the middle of a Sunday night in Burghaun.

Source: www.flensburg-online.de 18-10-2009

Dresden, Germany: Synagogue Vandalized

November 08, 2009.

A synagogue in Dresden was vandalized with swastikas a few days before the 71st anniversary of the Reichspogromnacht. The culprits painted swastikas and other anti-Semitic symbols on the exterior wall of the synagogue. Jewish leaders in Saxony expressed anger that such an event could take place shortly before a historic and very meaningful day.

Source: www.mdr.de, www.spiegel.de, other newspapers 09-11-2009

Stockholm, Sweden: Swedish Islamist Founds “Anti-Zionist” Party

November 03, 2009.

Mohamed Omar, a self-proclaimed Swedish Islamist, poet, and journalist, has announced the founding of a new political party based on an “anti-Zionist” agenda. He calls upon both left and right wing extremists to join his movement. Despite the small number of current followers, Henrik Bachner, a Swedish expert on anti-Semitism, warns about the increasing number of anti-Semitic movements in Sweden.

Source: www.sr.se, 04-11-2009

St. Petersburg, Russia: Student Fined for Distributing Anti-Semitic Pamphlets

November 01, 2009.

November 1, 2009

A Russian university student was found guilty of distributing anti-Semitic materials on the subway in St. Petersburg. Radio Free Europe reported that the pamphlets urged people to “act against Muslims, Jews, Chinese, and people from the Caucasus and Central Asia.” He was fined for the offence, despite the intention of the prosecution to seek jail time. In Russia it is illegal to incite ethnic or religious hatred.

Source: jta.com, 02-11-2009

Cottbus, Germany: Cemetery and Russian memorial vandalized

October 22, 2009.

31 head stones and a Russian memorial were vandalized in the middle of the night by unknown perpetrators in the German state of Brandenburg. Many of the head stones were knocked over, and the Russian memorial site was spray painted with swastikas. This is the second such attack to take place in this cemetery in Cottbus; last summer 13 head stones were knocked over in the Jewish section of the cemetery. Cottbus’s mayor stated that the incident is “an attack against all the citizens in Cottbus.”

Source: www.lr-online.de, 22-10-2009

Wüstenbrand, Germany: House vandalized with Nazi symbols

October 22, 2009.

The facade of a home in Wüstenbrand was spray painted with Nazi symbols including swastikas and Sig Runes (also known as SS Runes for their role as the symbol of the Nazi SS). The graffiti covered 40 feet of the facade, including the door. A nearby resident reported the damage to the police.

Source: www.freiepresse.de, 23-10-2010

Potsdam, Germany: Arson attack on city’s “integration garden”

October 21, 2009.

For the sixth time in three years, an arsonist set fire to part of the city’s “integration garden.” The garden was created out of a multicultural initiative to foster better relations between the different groups living in Potsdam. The damages included the burning of an equipment shed, the painting of a swastika on a wall, and the message, “We will be back”. Next to this message, the attackers drew a Star of David. Police are still searching for the arsonists. The city has decided in the meantime to raise money for a comprehensive security system, including surveillance cameras, for the garden.

Source: Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten, 22-10-2009

Kleve, Germany: Unknown Culprits Vandalize Jewish Memorial

October 03, 2009.

During the night, unknown culprits spray painted a Jewish Memorial to the Holocaust with two swastikas. Other buildings in the city of Kleve were also vandalized with swastikas. Police are still searching for the perpetrators

Source: www.rp-online.de, 04-10-2009

County Laois, Ireland: Irish Comic Trivializes Holocaust in Stand-up Routine

September 23, 2009.

Irish comedian Tommy Tiernan came under fire for an anti-Semitic rant during one of his stand-up shows. Tiernan was performing at the Electric Picnic Arts Festival in County Laois, when he called Jews "F---ing Christ-killing bastards" and claimed he would have killed twice as many Jews as the Nazis did during the Holocaust. The Catholic Church in Ireland condemned Tiernan for trivializing the Holocaust, an act they claim can be “as hurtful as denial.” Tiernan has issued a statement saying his comments were taken out of context and he is "greatly upset that these comments have caused hurt."

Source: www.independant.ie, www.tribune.ie, 25-09-2009

Kremenchug, Ukraine: Synagogue Vandalized

September 23, 2009.

Unknown vandals doused the walls and windows of a synagogue in central Ukraine with red paint. They also painted anti-Semitic statements on the walls and left anti-Semitic pamphlets in the building. This is the second such attack on the synagogue in Kremenchug. In June 2009, the building was also vandalized by four unknown persons who threw seven cans of brown paint at the walls. The police are still searching for the culprits.

Source: jta.org, 25-09-2009

Mügeln, Germany: Two 20-year-olds attacked by neo-Nazis

September 15, 2009.

Two young men were attacked on a Friday evening near the center of the small town of Mügeln in Saxony by a group of neo-Nazis. One attack took place in front of the victim’s apartment building, while the other occurred outside a nearby restaurant. Before the first attack, the attackers taunted the victim with anti-Semitic phrases such as “Sieg Heil” and told him to “run for it” as he passed by their group. The victim worked for “Vive le Courage,” an anti-fascist organization founded in Mügeln following the right wing attacks on Indian immigrants at a festival in summer 2007. Two weeks before these most recent attacks, a group of 50 neo-Nazis vandalized the Vive le Courage headquarters. The town has been consistently plagued by a series of such attacks. Late Friday night the police arrested one potential suspect.

Source: Kölner Stadt Anzeiger, 16-09-2009

Budapest, Hungary: Anti-Semitic Rioters Disrupt Gay Rights Parade in Jewish District

September 06, 2009.

A mob of 5,000 demonstrators, including neo-Nazis and skinheads, turned violent during the annual Hungarian Gay Rights parade. The parade takes place in the historic Jewish quarter of Budapest. The rioters clashed with police as they shouted xenophobic and anti-Semitic slurs, set a fire in the street, and began destroying the storefronts of several shops. 30 people were taken into custody.

Source:www.jta.org, 6-9-2009

Melitopol, Ukraine: Jewish Charity’s Building Vandalized

August 30, 2009.

Unknown vandals painted swastikas and anti-Semitic phrases on the building of the Chesed Velvele Jewish charity in the Ukrainian town of Melitopol. According to Ukrainian police, several other buildings in other cities were defaced on the same evening.

Source: jta.org, 30-08-2009

Kassel, Germany: Plaque of Remembrance Vandalized with Graffiti

May 24, 2009.

A plaque that commemorates the destruction of the Synagogue of Kassel (Hesse) was vandalized with graffiti. The antifascist group VVN – BdA denounced this attack on “a place where one of the worst crimes of the Nazi era is commemorated” and requested that the authorities investigate the crime.

Source: www.nordhessische.de 05-25-2009

Vienna, Austria; Auschwitz, Poland: Two Austrian School Classes sent back after expressing antisemitism at concentration camp visit

May 15, 2009.

Pupils in two classes belonging to a Vienna high school were sent back from a visit to the former concentration camp Auschwitz after repeatedly expressing antisemitic views at the site. As reported by various Austrian media outlets, the pupils expressed that “Jews have to be gassed” or “lets make a selection”. Jewish survivors  of the Holocaust present in Auschwitz were taunted. The pupils were already misbehaving in an antisemtiic fashion on the way to the camp.

The disciplinary commission of the school  has decided to ban one pupil from attending classes  and to rebuke four others. The teachers who neglected to intervene as their pupils committed these anti-Semitic acts will receive a special instruction in order to being able to provide proper preparation for this kind of visit.

Source: www.standard,at, www.kurier.at, www.diepresse.com, 05-24-2009» Read more.

Berlin, Germany: First Three Months of 2009: 315 antisemitic incidents

May 14, 2009.

In a response to an official request by the parliamentarian Petra Pau, the German government reported 315 antisemitic incidents during the first three months of 2009. Two of these incidents were violent. Moreover, there were more than 5500 antisemtic acts committed by right wing extremists, 110 of them being violent. Additionally, they reported 14 neo-nazi rallies and more than 40 right wing skinhead concerts.

Source: www.tagesspiegel, 24-05-2009» Read more.

Ludwigslust, Germany: Antisemitic Scribbling on a Billboard

May 11, 2009.

On the billboard of a restaurant in the village of Ludwigslust (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), some antisemtic scribblings (including the denial of the Holocaust) were found. The police in Schwerin are investigating the case.

Source: www.mvticker.de 05-11-2009» Read more.

Serfaus, Austria: Hotel banned Jewish Guests

May 11, 2009.

The Haus Sonnenhof apartment hotel in the village of Serfaus, Tyrol, is said to have turned away a Jewish family because of "bad experiences" in the past, the daily Tiroler Tageszeitung reports. The hotel owner allegedly emailed the family and told them although the room was free, she did not want to take in Jewish guests. The Haus Sonnenhof's reaction has angered other hotels in Serfaus, which has become popular with orthodox Jewish tourists in recent years. Source: www.theaustralian.news.com.au, 05-11-2009» Read more.

Ebensee, Austria: Masked Men disturbed memorial service

May 10, 2009.

A group of masked Neo-Nazis disturbed a memorial service at the former Austrian Concentration Camp Ebensee. The shouted “Heil Hitler” to the participants and performed the Hitler Salute. One of them carried a machine gun dummy. Participants of the memorial service forced the Neo Nazis away. The Austrian police has begun investigating the incident.

Source: www.diepresse.at, 05-09-2009» Read more.

Dessau, Germany: Swastikas at Jewish Cultural Center

April 29, 2009.

A big swastika was painted at a Jewish cultural center in Dessau/Saxony Anhalt. As German authorities reported that a big swastika was painted on the front door of the center. While this kind of vandalism is usualluy perpetrated during the night, this Nazi symbol was painted during daytime.

Source: www.ddp.de , 04-29-2009» Read more.