Paris, France: European Jewish Congress Urges EU to Strengthen Legislation Against Racism and Antisemitism

August 25, 2008.

The European Jewish Congress called upon the European Union member states to strengthen the existing legislation against racism and antisemitism. The call follows an increased number of antisemitic incidents in Europe.

“We urge the European Union leadership to implement the legislation against racism and anti-Semitism and to promote a policy of tolerance and education in the European Union. This is the most fitting response,” said Moshe Kantor, President of the European Jewish Congress.

Source: Ejpress.org, 08-25-2008

Antwerp, Belgium: Eggs Thrown at Orthodox Jew

August 23, 2008.

Eggs were thrown at orthodox Jews as they were on their way home from synagogue. A police patrol was sent to the scene.

Source: Antisemitisme.be, 08-23-2008

Berlin, Germany: Holocaust Memorial Vandalized

August 23, 2008.

Berlin's memorial to the Jews murdered during in the Holocaust was desecrated on August 23, only a week after a similar memorial to gays and lesbians persecuted by the Nazis was vandalized, police reported. Seven of the steles that make up the monument were desecrated with 11 Nazi swastikas in red and black paint.

Source: Topnews.in, 08-23-2008

Rhodes, Greece: Teen in Video Urinates on Holocaust Memorial

August 22, 2008.

YouTube features a video showing a teenage boy urinating on the Holocaust memorial in Rhodes. The island's Jewish community and the website www.abravanel.wordpress.com publicized the video, which was uploaded to YouTube on August 22. According to a website called Venetoklio high 5, “A secret group of students of the Venetoklio High School of Rhodes ... does not “dig” at all the Jews who wish to turn the island into a second 'Land of Canaan.' ”» Read more.

Magdeburg (Saxony-Anhalt), Germany: Right-Wing Extremist Violence Rises Further

August 22, 2008.

The quota of right-wing extremist motivated violence in Saxony-Anhalt (Sachsen-Anhalt) continues to rise. According to reports by the Mobile Victim’s Counseling Service (Mobile Opferberatung), the number of violent acts in East-German states over the first six months of this year has risen by about a third, compared to the 2007statistics, to 73 incidents with 108 victims.» Read more.

Lviv, Ukraine: Holocaust Monument Vandalized

August 21, 2008.

Unknown suspects painted swastikas on a Holocaust monument in Lviv, Ukraine, according to an August 21, 2008 report by the AEN news agency. During World War II Nazis had murdered around 200,000 people, most of them Jews, at the Yanovsky concentration camp, where the monument was placed in 1992. German tourists spotted the vandalism and reported it to the police.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 08-22-2008

Munich (Bavaria), Germany: Fine for Performing “Nazi-Salute”

August 21, 2008.

Karl Richter, an official of Germany’s National-Democratic Party (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands), received a fine of 5.600 Euro for performing the “Nazi-Salute”. The district court of Munich considered it proven that Richter had shown the salute at his inauguration as newly elected councilman of the “Civic Initiative Foreigners Stop” (“Bürgerinitiative Ausländerstop”).

Source: Redok.de, 08-21-2008

Switzerland: Neo-Nazi Group Launches Antisemitic Website

August 20, 2008.

According to the European Jewish Congress, a neo-Nazi group called the Swiss National-Socialists (Nationaux-Socialistes Suisses) launched a website. It is hosted by Wordpress.com. The movement’s presentation text was a mixture of violent racist, antisemitic and Holocaust-denying appeals and was deleted shortly after its launch.

Sources: eurojewcong.org, 08-20-2008; Cicad.ch, 08-22-2008

Orenburg, Russia: Police Detain Neo-Nazi Armed With Grenade

August 20, 2008.

Police in Orenburg, Russia detained a neo-Nazi armed with a grenade near the city's main train station, according to an August 20, 2008 report by the Novosti news agency. A police spokesman said that the 23 year old man was a known member of a neo-Nazi gang and will face trial later this year for painting swastikas on the city's synagogue. "It's possible that he was preparing to use the grenade against people of non-European appearance," the police official said.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 08-22-2008

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia: Windows of Synagogue Smashed

August 20, 2008.

Unknown suspects smashed the windows of the Nizhny Novgorod synagogue, according to an August 20, 2008 report by the Interfax news agency. The vandals also shattered the windows of a vacant police post that was set up, after years of similar incidents, in order to protect the synagogue.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 08-20-2008

Marseille, France: Antisemitic Assault

August 19, 2008.

A Jewish man was stabbed in front of his shop in Marseille on 19 August. In a press release, the Bureau for Vigilance Against Antisemitism indicated that the victim was approached by two men, aged around 18 and 25, who asked for a pen.

The victim, who is 62 and has a heart condition, ignored the request. After shouting abuse and calling him "a dirty Jew", one of the men stabbed him twice in his arm. The assault was reported to the police.

Source: Sosantisemitisme.org, 08-22-2008

Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic: Officials of Germany’s National Party Speak at Illegal Rally

August 18, 2008.

Several officials of Germany’s National-Democratic Party (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands) took part and spoke at an illegal rally that was organized by the Czech neo-Nazi party “Delnicka Strana” in the Czech Republic. The rally took place in the center of the town, right in front of the police administration, without being disrupted. Several of the German speakers warned the participants of the “imminent world domination of high finance” – a clearly antisemitic reference.

Source: Redok.de, 08-18-2008

Dublin, Ireland: Nazi Goods on Sale in Antique Shop

August 17, 2008.

A stall holder who sells Nazi memorabilia at a market in northern Dublin is now operating a second outlet at an antique centre in Co Louth. Last month the Sunday Tribune revealed how Outpost Militaria, run the by Co Down resident Paul Rea, was openly selling swastikas, daggers and antisemitic ashtrays at Balbriggan market. » Read more.

Llandudno, Wales: Police Investigating Attack on Jewish Man

August 16, 2008.

Police are investigating after a Jewish man was punched and had his skull cap removed in a racist attack in Llandudno. The 24-year-old was walking through the Church Walks area when he was grabbed and pushed to the floor by two men. They started to punch him in his face and removed his religious headwear before running away. The 24-year-old was left shocked and suffered minor injuries.» Read more.

Brno, Czech Republic: German Tourist Arrested for Performing “Hitler Salute”

August 15, 2008.

A German tourist was arrested in Brno after repeatedly performing the “Hitler Salute” on a camping site and flying the Nazi-flag showing a Swastika. The 19-year-old is likely to be brought to trial for incitement of the people. If found guilty, he could face up to 3 years in jail.

Source: Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 08-16-2008; PragueMonitor.com, 08-18-2008

Krefeld (North-Rhine Westphalia), Germany: Young Male Sentenced to Three Months in Jail for Performing “Hitler Salute”

August 15, 2008.

A 24-year-old male was sentenced to three months in prison. The judge saw it proven that the accused had performed the “Hitler Salute” and yelled other Nazi-slogans such as “Jews out!” (“Juden raus!”) repeatedly at a local carnival event. The sentence was reduced to probation for three years.

Source: RP Online, 08-15-2008

Erfurt (Thuringia), Germany: Antisemtic Chants at Football Game

August 15, 2008.

Antisemitic chants were heard during a 3rd league football match between the Clubs of Erfurt and Jena. First the “Jews-Jena” (“Juden-Jena”) cries occurred sporadically; however they intensified after the 70th minute of the match. According to Spiegel.de 400 to 500 people were shouting antisemitic offenses.

The Federal German Football Association (Deutscher Fußball-Bund) penalized the Erfurt football club, including fining them 10.000 Euro and sanctioning the public from attending the next home game, raising the financial loss of the club to an estimated 80.000 Euro.

The police as well as the Erfurt football club are continuing to investigate the incident.

Sources: Spiegel.de, 08-16-2008; Fc-carlzeiss-jena.de, 08-22-2008

Nizhny Novgorod, Russia: Jewish Cemetery Again Vandalized, Police Detains Two Suspects

August 15, 2008.

Jewish graves were once again vandalized in the Krasnaya Etna cemetery of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, according to an August 15, 2008 report by the Privolzhe Novoe Telegrafnoe Agenstvo. Police detained two suspects, aged 11 and 13, a day after the cemetery management discovered that 21 gravestones had been vandalized. The Krasnaya Etna cemetery was vandalized several times over the course of May and June; police detained a separate suspect in June.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 08-20-2008

Chemnitz, Cottbus, Dessau, Frankfurt (Oder), Germany: Alarming Increase of Antisemitic Acts

August 14, 2008.

As the weekly German newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine reports, there has been an alarming increase in antisemitic activities in former Eastern Germany. The Jewish communities of Frankfurt (Oder) and Dessau have recently received letters containing antisemitic threats, the Jewish cemeteries of Chemnitz and Dessau were vandalized and the Jewish community of Dessau had to face besmirched community property. There seldom passes a week without a right-wing extremist attack in Saxony and Brandenburg.

Source: Jüdische Allgemeine, 08-14-2008

Odessa, Ukraine: Newspaper Editor on Trial for Antisemitic Articles

August 14, 2008.

The editor of an Odessa, Ukraine, newspaper faces a trial on August 14th for inciting hatred against Jews, according to an August 13, 2008 report by the web site Jewish.ru. Igor Volin-Danilov, editor of Nashe Delo, faces a possible prison term for publishing an article entitled "Kill the Best of the Goys" that, according to the prosecutor, "uses falsified translations and interpretations of the Talmud" in order to present a picture of Judaism as "criminal and amoral" and "insults the Jewish people, its religion and traditions." The paper has published several antisemitic articles in the past.

Source: Union of Councils for Jews in the Former Soviet Union, 08-14-2008