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Jewish businessman called “Jew boy” by neighbour, told to leave the country

Post author By DLM
Post date 21/08/2016

A retired 71-year-old woman has pleaded guilty to religiously or racially aggravated harassment after subjecting her Jewish neighbour to a campaign of abuse.

Susan Dean subjected her neighbour Allan Rich to antisemitic abuse which stemmed from a dispute over their adjoining beach huts. The huts come with the seafront properties, but Mrs Dean was initially upset as she felt that Mr Rich and his friends “encroached” and prevented her from enjoying her hut.

Mr Rich is the chairman of the management committee for the block of luxury flats, and was the CEO of a successful company.

Mrs Dean left Mr Rich an anonymous note in which she called him “Jew boy”, a common term of antisemitic abuse.

Three days later, she told Mr Rich in another note that he should leave the country.

She also said that she could not attend a communal barbecue as she “was not Jewish”, which appears to be her suggesting that Jews make non-Jews feel unwelcome and are only concerned with other Jews, a common antisemitic canard.

Mr Rich and his wife were apparently so upset by the antisemitic abuse that they were reduced to tears and were fearful of using their own balcony as Mrs Dean may have been using hers.

The prosecutor said “These aren’t off the cuff handwritten notes, they are typed up notes that were then placed in strategic places and they clearly caused the aggrieved a lot of distress”.

In his appeal to a magistrate asking for a restraining order, Mr Rich stated:

“[Susan Dean’s] religious hate is causing me and my family great sadness.”

“I have never had to deal with such a horrible situation in my whole life. I can no longer go out on my balcony because she will shout abuse and we can no longer walk around the side of our flat because if she is there she will shout at us, so we have to walk our dog on a different route.”

“When we received the first note my wife and I could not sleep that night. We were both led to tears.

I’m not sure why anyone would want to do it or how they could be so vile. I’m not even sure how she knew my religion.

I do not want to be abused at my own home, my wife doesn’t feel safe coming down with other family members and I do not feel safe for my wife to be their alone.

This caused us to cut our stay in Sandbanks short, but she has also been sending abusive letters to our other address.

I’m worried she may react one day and do something out of the ordinary, that she could be stood at my door with a knife, because I do not know how much she hates me and my religion or how far she may go to satisfy her hate”.

Mrs Dean was fined and was given a restraining order, prohibiting her from having any contact with Mr Dean or his family.

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Official at Islamic University calls for “final solution”

Post author By DLM
Post date 21/08/2016

A senior administrator at the Islamic University in Lecce, Italy, has called for a “final solution”

On his Facebook page, Raphael Villani wrote “there needs to be a final solution for Zionists” and that “the real Jews are the victims of Zionists”.

The Israeli Embassy in Italy discovered the comments, which have since been removed.

Calling for a final solution, the language used by the Nazis to describe the systematic extermination of the European Jewry, is clearly antisemitic, and is also a possibly a case of incitement. His assertion that Zionists are not “real Jews” contradicts many surveys and polls which show that large proportions of religious Jews identify as Zionists. It is thus a tool used to strip Jews who disagree with his position of their voice and their identities, attempting to portray the minority of Jews who agree with his position as “real” Jews, and the rest as not.

Given that in America, as an example, 90% of Orthodox Jews, 88% of Conservative Jews, and 70% of Reform Jews count themselves as Zionists, calling for a “final solution for Zionists” is nothing short of advocating genocide.

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Hasidic Rabbi stabbed in Strasbourg by attacker shouting “Allahu Ackbar”

Post author By DLM
Post date 19/08/2016

A Hasidic Rabbi was stabbed this afternoon in Strabourg, by an attacker shouting “Allahu Ackbar”.

Rabbi Chalom Levy, who is described as belonging to a Hasidic sect, was stabbed in the Jewish quarter of the city, 500 metres from the Great Synagogue.

Rabbi Mendel Samama, another Rabbi in Strasbourg, said that Rabbi Levy described his survival as a “miracle”.

“He was shocked. He is weak. He was hit in the abdominal region a few centimetres from a vital organ”, said Rabbi Samama.

The Grand Rabbi of Strasbourg, Rabbi René Gutman, has said that this is the work of one lone attacker, and is not reflective of a wider problem in the city, but has requested additional security.

Strasbourg has a Jewish community numbering around 15,000.

The attacker has reportedly been involved in a similar attack previously.

France has been described as one of the most dangerous countries to be a Jew and over half of French Jews wish to leave the country for Israel.

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Antisemitic Drinking Game Played in Princeton

Post author By DLM
Post date 11/07/2016

photo by Scott Beale / Laughing Squid This photo is licensed under a Creative Commons license. If you use this photo within the terms of the license or make special arrangements to use the photo, please list the photo credit as "Scott Beale / Laughing Squid" and link the credit to http://laughingsquid.com.

A group of students at a Princeton High School have reportedly played ‘Jews vs Nazis’ beer pong

A local news source reported that the underage students played the game, a variant of the popular drinking game, in a basement, photos of which later drew attention online. However, this appears not to be an isolated incident, but rather a general trend, as various websites seem to host rules for the ‘game’. At least one of the sites hosting rules for the game also describes Holocaust education as ‘ideological’ with ‘commercial aspects’ and openly espouses various forms of Holocaust denial. Disturbingly, the rules incorporate an ‘Anne Frank cup’ which is hidden by the ‘Jews’ team, and a rule that allows the ‘Nazis’ team to send one of the opposing players ‘to Auschwitz’. Whilst any antisemitic intentions of the students involved are yet to be established, making light of the systematic slaughter of 6 million Jews in such a way must be taken seriously regardless of the motives.
The Schools Superintendent for the area has confirmed that the incident is being investigated and has also been in touch with a local Rabbi with a view to improving Holocaust education in the area.

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Fans Of Catholic Basketball Team Shout ‘You Killed Jesus’

Post author By Charlie Woods
Post date 21/06/2016

On March 11th a high school basketball division title game between the all-boys Catholic Memorial School and the public Newton North High School became marred by antisemitic abuse

The Washington Post reported that the incident took place in Boston, where an estimated 100 young men sitting in the student section supporting Catholic Memorial jeered, “You killed Jesus, you killed Jesus”. Newton North High School has a large Jewish community of students. One spectator, whose parents are survivors of World War II concentration camps said, “I can’t believe it,” “I just can’t believe it.”

Peter F. Folan, president of Catholic Memorial, released a statement the next day:

“Catholic Memorial School is deeply disturbed by the behavior of a group of student spectators who made an unacceptable chant Friday night while playing Newton North High School.

CM faculty and staff acted immediately to stop the behavior. Administrators from both schools and representatives from the MIAA discussed the incident. At the conclusion of the game, CM students were reprimanded and each student personally apologized to the Principal of Newton North High School and shook his hand before leaving the arena.

We have been the subject of hurtful chants as well and we will work diligently within our own community and with other schools to end this abhorrent behavior. Catholic Memorial School believes deeply that intolerance, of any kind, is unacceptable. We apologize for the actions of our students and we will continue to strenuously address this issue within our community.”

Robert Trestan, the Anti-Defamation League’s New England regional director, said “We are very concerned why some fans thought this chant was appropriate for a high school basketball game… Hate speech has no place in the stands of any sporting event. We are grateful for the quick intervention by school officials and hope they use this as a teachable moment.”

This incident has shocked many and especially the choice of the Memorial School fans to causally revert to repeating the charge that the Jews committed deicide, which was used for centuries as an excuse to persecute Jews.

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SNP Activist Sidelined Over Antisemitic Posts

Post author By Charlie Woods
Post date 13/06/2016

A dispute about antisemitism broke out after an SNP party activist had been discovered sharing offensive anti-Israel material

According to The Scotsman the dispute involves Amjed Hussain who has been pictured with Nicola Sturgeon and other leading SNP figures at the party’s manifesto launch. He also has been campaigning with Nationalist candidates and parliamentarians, but most concerning is that he is a Facebook friend of several government ministers.

Many were therefore angered by what Mr Hussain was sharing and the SNP instructed its campaign teams to ensure Mr Hussain was no longer part of the election after his online activity was discovered.

Mr Hussain shared a photo, which stated “Israel has no history – only a criminal record”. He also shared a video claiming that the 11 September, 2001 terrorist attacks were an operation carried out by Mossad, the Israel national intelligence agency. Another post shared by Mr Hussain linked Islamic State to Israel stated, “ISIS is the only terrorist organisation that will travel 2,000 miles to attack Brussels, but can’t travel 52 miles to attack Israel – because the dog does not bite its own tail.”

Such conspiracy theories involving the Jewish state are a form of paranoid antisemitism that is similar to the 20th Century conspiracies that Jews were behind the First World War for their own gain.

Mr Hussain is a party activist but not a Party member, yet this did not stop him campaigning with prominent politicians. In April he was campaigning with Alyn Smith MEP, Jim Eadie, the candidate for the Edinburgh Southern seat, and the Catalan foreign minister Raul Romeva.

Criticism came from the co-founder of Glasgow Friends of Israel who said, “I have seen some pretty grotesque material from him plus quite a few photographs of him with prominent people from the SNP… I find the two together quite disturbing.” Also the Conservative politician Murdo Fraser stated, “This is quite clearly antisemitic. Why the party would want to be associated with highly offensive individuals is a mystery.”
The SNP issued a response, “Mr Hussain is not an SNP member. These views are not acceptable, and certainly don’t reflect those of the SNP, and we have instructed local campaign teams to ensure this individual takes no further part in the election campaign.”

Mr Hussain seemed completely unrepentant, “I want people to have a discussion. I am questioning things.” He also claimed, “They are somebody else’s posts. I am just sharing them.”

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Severe Antisemitic Bullying at Connecticut School

Post author By DLM
Post date 07/06/2016

The mother of a 12-year-old pupil at Walsh Intermediate School in Branford, Connecticut, has reported shocking antisemitic bullying suffered by her son to a local media outlet

Orit Avizoz spoke to WTNH News 8, a station that covers news in Connecticut, after having complained to the school administration. Ms Avizoz discovered the extent of the bullying that her son was subjected to when it became apparent that he was afraid to go back to school. The boy had his head slammed in the lockers by the bully, was kicked and punched repeatedly when on the floor, and was subjected to chants of ‘Kill the Jew’.

Another local news source has reported that despite the clear antisemitic language used during the attack, the incident is being treated merely as an instance of bullying, as opposed to being treated as a hate crime. Branford Schools Superintendent, Hamlet Hernandez, has released a statement clearly prompted by the incident, but which makes no direct reference to the incident itself or to antisemitism.

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Green Party Candidate for Councillor spreads Antisemitism online

Post author By Charlie Woods
Post date 03/06/2016

Christopher J. Eddie the Green party’s candidate for Hartlepool & Victoria Ward has repeatedly spread antisemitism online following a patten of incitement by Green Party members

Eddie has claimed via Twitter that the “Israel lobby manufactured Labour antisemitism crisis”. He also wrote that there is evidence that ISIS is a US-Israel army proxy. Such clear attempts to state that racism is invented by a supposed “lobby” instead of concerned members of the British Jewish community, including Labour Party members, is antisemtic. If that was not enough Mr Eddie thinks that the Jewish state and US, who are bombing ISIS, are secretly actually behind it. Antisemitism has a unique factor which is that it is often linked with conspiracy theories. The Green Party have continued to fail with issues with antisemitism in their own ranks.

This follows disturbing comments made by the Green’s Deputy leader, Dr Shahrar Ali, who said “just because you observe the niceties of Holocaust Memorial Day, doesn’t mean you’ve learnt the lessons of history”. He called an unnamed general group “warmongorers” and sings a song threatening this group’s children. Mr Ali remains in his post.

How Israel lobby manufactured UK Labour Party's anti-Semitism crisis https://t.co/4kGknQHl9f

— Christopher J. Eddie (@qeddify) May 1, 2016

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British reggae artist accuses ‘white’ Jews of being liars and thieves

Post author By kubbeh
Post date 02/06/2016

As a regular attendee of reggae performances for over 15 years, the inclusive message of the music has always appealed to me with regular themes including ‘one love’, ‘unity’ and ‘all tribes welcome’. It is therefore especially disappointing when respected reggae artists use racist language about Jewish people. On 10 May, Ras Kayleb from the London-based Channel One Sound System wrote a public Facebook post stating:

“Now I say anyone who is white and says hes a jew is a liar and teef. Research its not hidden.”

“…as far as im concern them man dem inna so call isreal are not jews. Here what I say they are not jews. False jews! They stole a next mans identity. Look history tells us.”

The idea that there false and wicked Jews is a long-running anti-Semitic discourse. The same goes for the accusation that Jews are inherently dishonest ‘liars’, have ‘stolen’ something, or are responsible for the oppression of others. The comments also play on racist notions of ‘authenticity’ based on skin colour.

Also Ras Tweed, a British reggae singer now based in France, wrote comments denying the existence of anti-Semitism or Semitic peoples (i.e. Jews):

“…how can a person of group of persons be Anti Semitic? When Semitic refers to a GROUP of Languages spoken by a group of people. It is NOT a Ethnic Group of people.”

I have experienced anti-Semitism only a handful of times in the reggae scene – where anti-racism and diversity are guiding principles – and very much hope that it is a marginal phenomenon. Nevertheless, I feel it is vital to call it out where it rears its head, especially as these artists perform around the world where they have an influence on hundreds of thousands of people. There is also a sad irony that Channel One have performed in Israel where they were warmly received.

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Holocaust Memorial Vandalized

Post author By Eve Litvak
Post date 26/05/2016

Red spray paint reads, “Burn the bank” on a Holocaust memorial opened just this year in Bologna. This happened just one month after the monument’s debut.

On one part of the memorial, four dice were drawn with numbers corresponding to the alphabet, comprising the acronym “A.C.A.B.” or “all cops are bastards.” This was followed by the message, “Extinguish your mortgage, turn on your bank,” followed by an “A” circled in anarchist fashion.

Another message scrawled on the side of the memorial read, “Place the crate,” reminiscent of concentration camp dormitories.

Claudio Mazzanti, leader of the Democratic Party of the City Council believes the vandals to be “political delinquents” creating a “political provocation” that is, above all else, “stupid” and “shameful.”

Valter Giovannini, deputy prosecutor of Bologna called the act “vile” and an “ignoble gesture. More books and less spray cans.”

Chief Rabbi of Bologna, Alberto Sermoneta, while not underestimating the event, did not wish to dramatize it. He called this crime, “an act, which must be taken for what it is, that is, a manifestation of stupidity…This does not outrage me as a Jew, but as a human being.”

The offenders are expected to be apprehended via images caught on cameras in the area.

In addition to the graffiti found on the new Shoah memorial, more vandalism was discovered on via Zamboni. Writing targeted the Municipal Theater and commissioner Ignazio Coccia. As in the memorial, another anarchist “A” was seen in the sprayed message, “Coccia hang.” Right beside the entrance of the theatre, someone wrote, “Playground for the rich.”

Daniele De Paz, president of the Jewish community commented that this type of behavior is happening all over the city. “It is a widespread act, I do not think it centers around antisemitism. These slogans are generic and have been found in this piazza in which the Shoah memorial was born, but we believe that the person who besmirched the wall and the monument at night did so only because he found himself in front of a blank white sheet and for this decided to write in this place. Regardless of this, however, the gesture is absolutely unjustifiable and we condemn it.”

“I want to believe that there is still insufficient knowledge of this place that merits much respect, and for this reason the wall has been used for slogans distant from us.”