Violent attacks on British Jews hit record high

[gilliam]

Gee, I wonder why?

LONDON - (Reuters) Violent anti-Semitic attacks in Britain have reached “alarming” record levels, according to a report released on Thursday, prompting calls by Jewish leaders for more to be done to protect their community. The Community Safety Trust, which represents Britain’s 290,000-strong Jewish community on security matters, said there had been 532 “anti-Semitic incidents” - defined as malicious acts toward Jews - in 2004, including a record 83 assaults.

The total, which included abuse and threats, was a rise of 42 percent from the CST’s 2003 figure, and well above the previous record high of 405 in 2000.

“This increase is extremely alarming. The transfer of tensions in the Middle East to the streets of Britain has resulted in an unprecedented level of anti-Semitic incidents,” said Michael Whine, director of communications for the CST.

The Trust said 100 incidents were reported in March 2004 alone. In the worst incident, a Jewish teenager had his jaw shattered in the English south coast city of Southampton.

Last month London police said they were hunting a group of black and Asian men said to be behind a string of racist attacks on orthodox Jewish men in the capital.

A few days earlier, vandals daubed swastikas and other Nazi symbols on 10 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery in Aldershot, southern England, the second time it had been targeted.

Britain’s chief rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, said the figures were a cause for concern. “The single most important thing is for our community to enlist others to join in the protest against the attacks,” he said in a statement.

“Jews must not be left to fight anti-Semitism alone.”

The government described the rise as “totally unacceptable” and said action was being taken. “We have strengthened the law against racism, including raising the maximum penalty for incitement to racial hatred,” leader of the House of Commons Peter Hain told parliament.

The leaders of Britain’s Anglican and Catholic Christian communities said the findings were disturbing and condemned anti-Semitism. Rob Beckley, the Association of Chief Police Officers’ spokesman on faith matters, said that “…any anti-Semitic incidents are a matter of great concern to the police service … All hate crime is insidious and destructive and we are committed to taking positive action against those perpetrating such offences.”

 

[Lance]

It does seem that most of the hard core appologist for radical Islam are from the UK and radical Islam wants to destroy Israel.

 

[Fitz]

There seems to be an increase in anti-semitism everywhere in Europe. I think we have our share of it here in the States too. Is it that young people are not being taught the truth or are not being taught history accurately? Or, is it just easier for people to have a scape goat for all the ills of the world, and that Christians tend to blame Jews for problems?

 

[bapcathluth]

I remember that there was a big brouhaha a couple of years ago when a British government official said that Israel was “a sh***y, little country.” When a government official thinks it’s OK to voice this kind of hate, what will the ordinary guy on the street do?

 

[Franze]

Britain was the first country in europe that removes jews, later France and the last Spain, now we have learned that anti-semitism is a sin and must be erradicated but islam now is the enemy of jews and Israel.

 

[Norwich]

Britain was the first country in europe that removes jews, later France and the last Spain, now we have learned that anti-semitism is a sin and must be erradicated but islam now is the enemy of jews and Israel.

Sorry? where did that one come from. Please expand that comment it sounds like a bit of a fairy tale to me!!!

 

[Franze]

Norwich:

Sorry? where did that one come from. Please expand that comment it sounds like a bit of a fairy tale to me!!!

jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/vjw/ukchron.html
18 July, 1290

Edict expelling Jews

1290 -1656

The period between the expulsion of the Jews in 1290 and their readmission in 1656 is generally called ‘The Middle Period’. Although there was no Jewish community during this period, Jews visited Britain from time to time for various reasons and some Marranos established themselves in Britain for periods of time

The first expulsion in France was in 1182, but the second was in 1394 and was more official

fordham.edu/halsall/jewish/1182-jewsfrance1.html
cryptojews.com/HUGANOTS.html

The expulsion in Spain was in 1492, two centuries later

And Norwich if you are offended I´m sorry, but you have to see that I don´t invent what I have said. Greetings

 

[Matt25]

Franze:

Britain was the first country in europe that removes jews, later France and the last Spain, now we have learned that anti-semitism is a sin and must be erradicated but islam now is the enemy of jews and Israel.

I think you mean England, to the best of my knowledge Scotland has never expelled Jews

or Ireland

or Wales.

What about Spain and forced conversions under Ferdinand and Isabella?

 

[Franze]

I have said all in the earlier post, I read always more about how the anti-semitic Spain but it´s the history, and the history says that England( yes is truth, I´m sorry for the generalization in all Britain) and France removed earlier the jews that in Spain
PS: I am to edit the post, because it´s very few fortunated,
Well I can´t, pleaee I pray that was edited, greetings

 

[Matt25]

bapcathluth:

I remember that there was a big brouhaha a couple of years ago when a British government official said that Israel was “a sh***y, little country.” When a government official thinks it’s OK to voice this kind of hate, what will the ordinary guy on the street do?

Actually that was the French Ambassador to the UK news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1721172.stm
and he said he was quoted out of context but of course you won’t believe him. The liberal elitist media only misquote peole you support. They are always completely accurate when they report things your opponents say

 

[bapcathluth]

Matt25:

Actually that was the French Ambassador to the UK news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1721172.stm
and he said he was quoted out of context but of course you won’t believe him. The liberal elitist media only misquote peole you support. They are always completely accurate when they report things your opponents say

Thank you for correcting my misinformation. Regardless, that an ambassador would say it is equally appalling.

I am not one of those who harps on the liberal media. I don’t think the media is overly liberal. I would hope that being against anti-Semitism would make a person a liberal.

 

[Matt25]

bapcathluth:

Thank you for correcting my misinformation. Regardless, that an ambassador would say it is equally appalling.

I am not one of those who harps on the liberal media. I don’t think the media is overly liberal. I would hope that being against anti-Semitism would make a person a liberal.

Sorry that was a collective you not a personal one. If you see what I mean. That was a personal you not a coll… oh never mind

 

[HagiaSophia]

Matt25:

but of course you won’t believe him.

You got that right.

Matt25:

The liberal elitist media only misquote peole you support. They are always completely accurate when they report things your opponents say

No different than the selective posts and poor sources that many in the forum use. A propagandist is that, a propagandist - y’know, a rose is a rose is a rose…

 

[HagiaSophia]

Franze:

I have said all in the earlier post, I read always more about how the anti-semitic Spain but it´s the history, and the history says that England( yes is truth, I´m sorry for the generalization in all Britain) and France removed earlier the jews that in Spain
PS: I am to edit the post, because it´s very few fortunated,
Well I can´t, pleaee I pray that was edited, greetings

Historically anti-Semisitm has shown itr. However, it is alarming to see the increase in Europe - brings back hideious old memories I thought after the perfidy of the German government after Munich, a red light would go on, but apparently not.

 

[Matt25]

Anti-semitism is hateful, but statistics are something that need to be handed with care.

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4254005.stm

The biggest increase was in the area of anti-Semitic threats which rose to 93 in 2004, a total of 323%.

This increase was fuelled partly by the activities of one man, Riaz Mohammed Burahee, who was convicted of making 28 threatening phone calls to synagogues in London.

adl.org/anti_semitism_domestic/

TRENDS IN ANTI-SEMITISM IN THE U.S
2003 ADL Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents
The anti-Semitic incidents in the United States continues to be disturbing and unacceptable. The controversy over Mel Gibson’s film “The Passion of the Christ” elicited a barrage of anti-Semtiic hate mail that, though not included in the total count, indicate the anti-Semitic feelings stirred as a result of the Jewish concerns about the film.

Polls • One in Four Americans Believe Jews Were Responsible for the Death of Christ (02/23/04) • 17 Percent of Americans Hold “Hardcore” anti-Semitic Beliefs (06/11/02) • ADL Poll: No Increase in Anti-Semitism in Wake of Sept. 11 Attacks (11/2/01) • Anti-Semitism and Prejudice in America: ADL Survey (11/1998)

pogrom.org.il/eng_articles.php?art_id=3

Russian immigrants who were invited to settle in Israel despite having onlydistant Jewish roots are being blamed for a startling outbreak of anti- Semitism in the country.

A growing number of incidents, including verbal and physical abuse, swastikas daubed on walls, and the desecration of a Jewish cemetery, have led to calls for a rethink of Israel’s “over-zealous” immigration policy.

Last night, Yuli Edelstein, an Israeli government minister responsible for settling immigrants, became the first senior government figure to call openly for the immigration system to be changed. He told The Telegraph that he was concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism and its apparent connection with the “over-zealous” policies of the Jewish Agency, which is responsible for bringing immigrants to Israel.

He said he had met heads of the agency to press for more stringent measures to filter out “undesirable” immigrants who have no intention of adopting Jewish customs.

A survey of recent immigrants from the former Soviet Union found that 70 per cent did not qualify as “Jewish” according to religious law.

ncsj.org/AuxPages/111802Telegraph.shtml

 

[Norwich]

Ooops, Matt, I have a feeling the UK “Problem” may have just been put into context.

17% anti semetic? now thats a REAL problem.

 

[gilliam]

Also see: Anti-Semitism in the US
Excerpts: Anti-Semitism in Europe Increases in Recent Years

United Kingdom
Anti-Semitic incidents included physical attacks, harassment, desecration of property, vandalism and hateful speech, and racist letters and publications. The Community Security Trust, an organization that analyzed threats to the Jewish community and coordinated with police to provide protection to Jewish community institutions, recorded 511 anti-Semitic incidents between July 2003 and June 2004.

On June 25, near Manchester, a group of five persons physically assaulted a rabbi while shouting anti-Semitic statements. In October 2003, a man driving past Borhamwood Synagogue shouted anti-Semitic statements at members of the synagogue’s security team.

The media also reported instances of desecration of synagogues, Jewish cemeteries, and religious texts. On June 17, vandals caused a fire in the South Tottenham United Synagogue that resulted in the destruction of Jewish prayer books smuggled out of Central Europe before World War II. On June 18, in an apparently unrelated incident, a suspicious fire damaged a synagogue and Jewish educational center in Hendon. On August 22, cemetery officials discovered the desecration of approximately 60 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery in Birmingham. Police charged two suspects with racially aggravated criminal damage, racially aggravated public disorder, and causing racially aggravated harassment, alarm, or distress. In November, vandals spray-painted swastikas and other Nazi symbols on 15 gravestones in a Jewish cemetery in Aldershot.

Nazi slogans and swastikas were painted on 11 Jewish gravestones at a Southampton cemetery in July 2003, and 20 Jewish gravestones were damaged at Rainsough cemetery in Manchester in August 2003. Police investigated the attacks as a racist incident. In November 2003, vandals desecrated 21 graves at a Jewish cemetery in Chatham, East Kent. Later in November, a deliberately set fire caused severe damage to the Hillock Hebrew Congregation near Manchester, and, in a separate incident, attackers used bricks to smash the windows of London’s Orthodox Edgware Synagogue.

Members of some far-right political parties–such as the BNP, the National Front, and the White Nationalist Party–and some extremist Muslim organizations, such as Al-Muhajiroun, occasionally gave speeches or distributed literature expressing anti-Semitic beliefs, including denials that the Holocaust occurred.

The Crown Prosecution Service advised victims of anti-Semitic attacks on how to report the incidents and press charges against the assailants. Police services investigated antiSemitic attacks, in addition to providing additional protection to Jewish community events where threat levels were considered to be elevated. The Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act of 2001 made it a crime to commit a religiously aggravated offense such as assault, criminal damage, or harassment. The Act also extended the prohibition against incitement to racial hatred to include cases where the hatred was directed at groups located outside the country. In addition, a 2003 regulation explicitly prohibiting racial harassment and a 1980 case law establishing Jews as a racial group provide legal protection against anti-Semitism. Authorities charged 18 persons with religiously aggravated offenses (the religious affiliation of the victims was not released) between December 2001 and March 2003, the most recent period for which data are available; of these, 8 were convicted.

In December 2003, new employment equality regulations regarding religion (or other belief) entered into force. The regulations prohibit employment discrimination based on religious belief, except where there is a “genuine occupational requirement” of a religious nature.

On October 19, police charged Abu Hamza al-Masri with four counts of soliciting or encouraging the killing of Jewish persons based on recordings of some of his addresses to public meetings.

Officials regularly reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing anti-Semitism and protecting Jewish citizens through law enforcement and education. In February, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Nazi war crimes investigator Simon Wiesenthal an honorary knighthood in recognition of his efforts to counter anti-Semitism.

usinfo.state.gov/eur/Archive/2005/Jan/05-93928.html?chanlid=eur

 

[gilliam]

21% in Europe

ADL Survey of Five European Countries Finds One in Five Hold Strong Anti-Semitic Sentiments; Majority Believes Canard of Jewish Disloyalty

New York, NY, October 31, 2002… An opinion survey of adults in five European countries found that 21% harbor strong anti-Semitic views, and 56% believe that Jews are more loyal to Israel than their own country, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reported today. *European Attitudes Toward Jews: A Five Country Survey *of 2,500 – 500 each in Austria, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland – was conducted by telephone in the native language of each of the countries September 9-29, 2002 by First International Resources for ADL. Spain, with 12,000 Jews out of a population of 39.6 million, had the highest percentage of anti-Semitic views of the countries polled. The survey was released in conjunction with ADL’s Conference on Global Anti-Semitism, a gathering of world Jewish leaders, government officials and experts.