Amid growing controversy over his comments, published on a Jewish website, Mr Peres fought back to insist that he had “the highest regard” for the way in which Britain stood alone against Nazi Germany during the Second World War.
“President Peres never accused the British people of anti-Semitism,” his spokesman said in a statement issued last night. “The president does not believe that British governments are motivated by anti-Semitism, nor were they in the past.
In an interview with Benny Morris, an Israeli historian, published in the Tablet journal last week, Mr Peres claimed that there had always been something “pro-Arab” and “anti-Israel” in the British establishment.
Asked whether this was due to anti-Semitism, Mr Peres replied: “Yes, there is also anti-Semitism. There is in England a saying that an anti-Semite is someone who hates the Jews more than is necessary. But with Germany, relations are pretty good, as with Italy and France.”
Mr Peres’s office said that the president viewed Israeli relations with Britain as “of the greatest importance” and insisted that his comments were driven by dismay that some in Britain did not understand the grim reality of living under the threat of terrorism.
“The president did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement read. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Israel.”
Among ordinary Israelis, there was considerable support for the president’s attack on Britain, which has been denounced in some quarters in the United Kingdom.
“The only reason why Britain is upset is because they know what Peres says is true, and the truth hurts,” said Yael Weisman, a teacher in Jerusalem.
Her husband Yigal agreed.
“Britain has become the most anti-Semitic country in Europe,” he said. “It’s clear what’s happened. London has become Londonistan and the government there is more afraid of upsetting Muslims who are taking over than Jews who are more polite and far away.”
Mr Peres said the Labour party had failed to give Israel support in the wake of the country’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. He said Whitehall had failed to recognise the huge sacrifice the Jewish state had made to pull back.
“We evacuated 8,000 settlers, and it was very difficult,” he said. “It cost us $2.5bn in compensation.
“We left the Gaza Strip completely. Why did they fire rockets at us? For years they fired rockets at us … When they fired at us, the British didn’t say a word.”
Mr Peres subsequently stood by the observations on Gaza. “The President did express concern that some people in Britain do not fully appreciate the difficulties of facing an onslaught of terror whilst adhering to democratic practice, as Israel does,” the statement released by his office said. “Israel civilians have endured over 10,000 missiles fired on them from Gaza.”
David Cameron, the prime minister, caused a furore in Israel last week by describing Gaza as an open prison camp.
The additional factor that many MPs must address a muslim constituency that was imposing an additional burden on the Jewish state.
“There are several million Muslim voters [in the UK]. And for many members of parliament, that’s the difference between getting elected and not getting elected,” he said.
“They think the Palestinians are the underdog. In their eyes, the Arabs are the underdog. Even though this is irrational.”
The Telegraph
Tuesday, 10 August 2010
Rise in racially-motivated crimes in East Lancashire (UK)
A rise in racially-motivated crimes across East Lancashire is being blamed on drunken behaviour.
Figures show incidents have increased by 17 per cent, from 168 to 198 for the first five months of this year.
The police’s specialist Hate Crime Unit said the majority of incidents happened when offenders were drunk and said taxi drivers were often the victims of late-night racism.
Officers said that youngsters posting racist messages on social networking sites such as Facebook had also become a major problem for them.
Sgt John Rigby, of the Hate Crime Unit, said: “Around 95 per cent of the cases we see are as a result of alcohol.
"It is a massive factor behind racially-motivated crimes.
“One of our biggest victim groups is taxi drivers.
"They are regularly taking home drunks who will be arguing about paying the fare, and this can quickly turn into racist abuse, both verbally and physically.
“A lot of the calls we get, especially at weekend evenings, are from taxi drivers reporting such incidents.”
Last week, a 17-year-old boy was charged with racially-aggravated public disorder after a taxi driver was allegedly abused on a rank in Market Street, Colne.
And a 48-year-old man, also from Colne, has also been charged after an alleged racially-aggravated assault on a cabbie in the town’s Spring Lane area this month.
Makbul Patel, vice chairman of the Blackburn private hire association, said: “It is an issue our drivers are concerned about.
“When passengers are drunk arguments about not paying the fare or the cost of fare can often end up involving racist abuse and it is not something the drivers should have to put up with.”
Mohammed Arif, chairman of Burnley’s private hire association, said drivers were becoming increasingly worried about racist abuse.
“It is one of the biggest problems our drivers face,” he said.
“They are often taking groups of drunk people home late at night and it can be intimidating, especially if racist abuse is involved.
“The problem has definitely been getting worse recently, drivers are under pressure late at night and they want to as much protection as they can get.”
Last month, police teamed up with charity Stop Hate UK to launch a poster campaign in taxis working in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale warning people that hate crime would not be tolerated.
Police said they were also concerned about websites being used to peddle racist messages and harming community cohesion.
Sgt Rigby said: “A big factor these days is Facebook and other social networking sites.
“Youngsters don’t realise the comments they post can be seen by so many more people than they think.
“Quite often we have to contact Facebook electronically about comments on there.
“This is something we didn’t have 10 years ago. It can give a voice to people who want to get such messages into the public domain.”
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed there were 392 racially motivated crimes reported in East Lancashire in 2008, down from a high of 607 in 2007.
This increased to 404 crimes in 2009, and the latest figures for January to May suggest that figures will jump to nearer 500 this year.
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said the figures were ‘significant’ but might show a positive trend.
He said: “In previous times when there was much more overt racism around one of the consequences was that there were fewer incidents reported.
“Obviously it’s a worrying increase, but I hope it reflects an increase in reporting and identification of hate crimes and a reduction in toleration.”
The increase has led Salim Mulla, of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, to call on councils and the Government to do more to bring communities together.
Mr Mulla said more people had been going to him to report racist incidents.
“I seem to be getting more reports now from members of the community about racist incidents than I did.
"It is worrying that this type of crime is being committed.
“Everyone needs to do a lot more between different sections of the community to try and make sure this doesn’t happen.
“I think the council and Government need to do a lot more to bring communities together."
This is Lancaster
Figures show incidents have increased by 17 per cent, from 168 to 198 for the first five months of this year.
The police’s specialist Hate Crime Unit said the majority of incidents happened when offenders were drunk and said taxi drivers were often the victims of late-night racism.
Officers said that youngsters posting racist messages on social networking sites such as Facebook had also become a major problem for them.
Sgt John Rigby, of the Hate Crime Unit, said: “Around 95 per cent of the cases we see are as a result of alcohol.
"It is a massive factor behind racially-motivated crimes.
“One of our biggest victim groups is taxi drivers.
"They are regularly taking home drunks who will be arguing about paying the fare, and this can quickly turn into racist abuse, both verbally and physically.
“A lot of the calls we get, especially at weekend evenings, are from taxi drivers reporting such incidents.”
Last week, a 17-year-old boy was charged with racially-aggravated public disorder after a taxi driver was allegedly abused on a rank in Market Street, Colne.
And a 48-year-old man, also from Colne, has also been charged after an alleged racially-aggravated assault on a cabbie in the town’s Spring Lane area this month.
Makbul Patel, vice chairman of the Blackburn private hire association, said: “It is an issue our drivers are concerned about.
“When passengers are drunk arguments about not paying the fare or the cost of fare can often end up involving racist abuse and it is not something the drivers should have to put up with.”
Mohammed Arif, chairman of Burnley’s private hire association, said drivers were becoming increasingly worried about racist abuse.
“It is one of the biggest problems our drivers face,” he said.
“They are often taking groups of drunk people home late at night and it can be intimidating, especially if racist abuse is involved.
“The problem has definitely been getting worse recently, drivers are under pressure late at night and they want to as much protection as they can get.”
Last month, police teamed up with charity Stop Hate UK to launch a poster campaign in taxis working in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale warning people that hate crime would not be tolerated.
Police said they were also concerned about websites being used to peddle racist messages and harming community cohesion.
Sgt Rigby said: “A big factor these days is Facebook and other social networking sites.
“Youngsters don’t realise the comments they post can be seen by so many more people than they think.
“Quite often we have to contact Facebook electronically about comments on there.
“This is something we didn’t have 10 years ago. It can give a voice to people who want to get such messages into the public domain.”
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act showed there were 392 racially motivated crimes reported in East Lancashire in 2008, down from a high of 607 in 2007.
This increased to 404 crimes in 2009, and the latest figures for January to May suggest that figures will jump to nearer 500 this year.
Blackburn MP Jack Straw said the figures were ‘significant’ but might show a positive trend.
He said: “In previous times when there was much more overt racism around one of the consequences was that there were fewer incidents reported.
“Obviously it’s a worrying increase, but I hope it reflects an increase in reporting and identification of hate crimes and a reduction in toleration.”
The increase has led Salim Mulla, of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, to call on councils and the Government to do more to bring communities together.
Mr Mulla said more people had been going to him to report racist incidents.
“I seem to be getting more reports now from members of the community about racist incidents than I did.
"It is worrying that this type of crime is being committed.
“Everyone needs to do a lot more between different sections of the community to try and make sure this doesn’t happen.
“I think the council and Government need to do a lot more to bring communities together."
This is Lancaster
Australia to defend 'racist' Northern Territory intervention at the UN
A United Nations panel will investigate claims the Australian government has singled out Aborigines and asylum seekers with racist policies.
Australian officials will front a UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva on Tuesday amid allegations from human rights activists that the Northern Territory intervention unfairly treats Aboriginal communities.
The suspension of asylum seeker claims from Afghans and Sri Lankans earlier this year will also be challenged. Rights groups claim the decision imposed a sweeping policy on the basis of race and violated Australia's international obligations.
SMH.com
Australian officials will front a UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Geneva on Tuesday amid allegations from human rights activists that the Northern Territory intervention unfairly treats Aboriginal communities.
The suspension of asylum seeker claims from Afghans and Sri Lankans earlier this year will also be challenged. Rights groups claim the decision imposed a sweeping policy on the basis of race and violated Australia's international obligations.
SMH.com
Monday, 9 August 2010
Jobbik MP allegedly threatens journalists (Hungary)
Politics Hu
Man who attacked gay couple jailed for six years (UK)
A 21-year-old man from Oxford who brutally attacked a gay couple has been jailed for six years.
Lewis Buck - who pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm - was sentenced at Oxford Cown Court.
According to the Oxford Mail, he was lucky not to have killed 27-year-old victim, Stephen Furze, whom he stabbed in the abdomen just weeks after New Year.
The incident happened when Furze and his partner, Tim Samways, were walking through Summertown on 27 Janurary when Buck challenged them to a fight.
After attempting to punch Furze, Buck stabbed him with a 9cm knife, piercing his liver.
Surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital said Furze was “extremely fortunate” that the blade had not ruptured an artery.
Judge Patrick Eccles said: “Fortunately for the victim, Mr Furze, and also fortunately for you, it did not cause a grievous injury. Someone in that position was at risk of grave injury or indeed death.”
He added: “Whatever was going through your mind, you brought a knife back to threaten him and stab him.
“You cornered him, threatened to inflict pain on him with the knife, and got him in isolation where he could not escape from you and then you deliberately stabbed him in the stomach.”
Buck is expected to serve at least half of his sentence.
Pink Paper
Lewis Buck - who pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm - was sentenced at Oxford Cown Court.
According to the Oxford Mail, he was lucky not to have killed 27-year-old victim, Stephen Furze, whom he stabbed in the abdomen just weeks after New Year.
The incident happened when Furze and his partner, Tim Samways, were walking through Summertown on 27 Janurary when Buck challenged them to a fight.
After attempting to punch Furze, Buck stabbed him with a 9cm knife, piercing his liver.
Surgeons at the John Radcliffe Hospital said Furze was “extremely fortunate” that the blade had not ruptured an artery.
Judge Patrick Eccles said: “Fortunately for the victim, Mr Furze, and also fortunately for you, it did not cause a grievous injury. Someone in that position was at risk of grave injury or indeed death.”
He added: “Whatever was going through your mind, you brought a knife back to threaten him and stab him.
“You cornered him, threatened to inflict pain on him with the knife, and got him in isolation where he could not escape from you and then you deliberately stabbed him in the stomach.”
Buck is expected to serve at least half of his sentence.
Pink Paper
Alleged Serial Killer was Member of Neo-Nazi National Alliance
A Panamanian official quoted Holbert, who was deported to Panama to face murder charges, as saying he established friendships with two of his victims by posing as a potential investor, then shot each in the head, buried them and took over their money and other property. The National Police in Panama said they found nine bodies on the property of Holbert and Reese, which included a hotel.
Holbert and his girlfriend had been on the run for more than two years, since they fled after being pulled over on Feb. 5, 2006, in Sheridan County, Wyo., for speeding in a stolen car.
Some of Holbert’s white supremacist history has been made public in news reports, including the fact that he has a swastika tattoo on his upper back and “Aryan Pride” on his arm. But a key piece of that history has not. In August 2002, Holbert joined the neo-Nazi National Alliance (NA), which at one time was the most important hate group in America. At the time, the Alliance was suffering from a leadership crisis caused by the death a month earlier of the group’s longtime leader, William Pierce. Under the leadership of Erich Gliebe, who followed Pierce, the NA would eventually fall apart, leaving only a few weak and scattered remnants.
Yesterday, on the racist online forum Stormfront, “whitegirl” posted that Holbert showed up at an NA meeting in 2003, saying he was the organization’s “Western Regional Coordinator.” “Whitegirl” said he tried “to take over the whole meeting” and tried to “get into a leadership position immediately.” She added that Holbert popped up a year later at a white nationalist cookout claiming to represent a new racist group.
Two years later, in 2005, Holbert, as has been reported, opened a racist store in Forest City, N.C., called Southern National Patriots, which sold books, CDs and pamphlets promoting his white supremacist views. On Stormfront, “whitegirl” wrote that Holbert tried to recruit local skinheads to frequent his store. The Southern National Patriots store was also the site of meetings where Holbert and others advocated for the rights of white Southerners.
Those meetings attracted extremists and a local leader in the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), an organization for the descendants of Confederate soldiers that has been roiled in the past decade by a power struggle between extremist members and those calling for the group to ban racists. Creighton Lovelace, who was in 2005 the commander of the local SCV chapter, Rutherford Rifles, spoke that year at an event held at Holbert’s store. During the rally, speakers reportedly praised the history of the South and repeatedly chanted, “Save the South.” According to a press report, Lovelace said in his speech that southern white Christians should be “separated from other peoples,” something he claimed the Bible demanded.
Lovelace was at the time pastor of the Danielton Baptist Church. Lovelace posted to LiveJournal in April 2005 that Holbert and Reese had joined his church. “It was a very happy day,” Lovelace proclaimed. He also referred to himself as having been for a time the couple’s “spiritual advisor.” But by May 2005, Lovelace had quit his association with Holbert and Southern National Patriots.
That same year, Lovelace and Danielton Baptist Church achieved national notoriety for placing provocative anti-Islam messages on the church’s sign. At one point, the church featured a sign that read, “The Koran needs to be flushed.” E-mails for comment about Holbert and Reese to Lovelace, who now runs Bible Defender Ministries, were not immediately returned.
Before fleeing the U.S., Holbert already had racked up a serious criminal history. In January 2006, a warrant had been issued for Holbert’s arrest for theft using false pretenses. In October 2005, while posing as a doctor and using a false driver’s license, Holbert opened a bank account in the name of Luke Gregory Kuhn. Holbert then allegedly sold a house he did not own in Oak Island, N.C., for more than $200,000. Over the following two months, he withdrew the proceeds from the illegal home sale from the bank account in small increments and then fled to Kentucky, where he obtained a false Kentucky’s driver’s license in the name of Donald Lee Bruckert. It was a just a few weeks later that Holbert and Reese fled the country.
SPLCentre
REVEALED: HOW ASYLUM DETENTION CENTRES DAMAGE CHILDREN (uk)
The traumatic toll of detention on the children of asylum seekers will be exposed in a new report. "State Sponsored Cruelty", due to be published by Medical Justice in September, found that two-thirds of children became ill or were hurt after being held in detention centres. They include a three-year-old girl who broke her shoulder falling down stairs. Pressure was building yesterday on the Government to honour a promise made in the Queen's Speech in May to act quickly to outlaw the detention of young asylum seekers, a practice Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has described as a "moral outrage". This year, 50 women at Yarl's Wood immigration removal centre, Bedfordshire, went on hunger strike over conditions. A scathing report by Dame Anne Owers published in March confirmed the findings of a similar investigation by the Children's Commissioner which said Yarl's Wood had been "distressing and harmful" for children. Last night, Medical Justice reiterated a call by the Scottish Refugee Council for the Government to immediately ban the detention of children of failed asylum seekers rather than wait for the outcome of a Home Office Review. "Powers still exist to arrest and forcibly remove children from the UK by harmful means, including separating and detaining one parent, detaining a single parent and putting the child "in care", and forcibly removing one family member from the UK without the others," it said. "We need policy and legislation change that eliminates all forms of family detention and separation and related harmful practices." Spokeswoman Emma Ginn added: "Our fear is that they will never end detention of children. To say they will only detain children for a short period is the same as what we had before."
In the first large-scale investigation in the UK, Medical Justice gathered the evidence of independent doctors who assessed 141 children detained between 2004 and April 2010. It found that 92 had suffered physical harm, often developing fevers and vomiting, while 50 children received inadequate medical care. More than half, 74, had been psychologically harmed and went on to suffer nightmares, insomnia or became deeply fearful of being locked up again. Almost 50 had witnessed violence in detention while 13 had been injured, notably several children hurt during the break-up of a hunger strike at Yarl's Wood. Last year 1,065 children were held with their families awaiting removal. While there are currently no children in detention, the UK Border Agency would only say "detention of families will be kept to a minimum until the review is completed". After taking office, the coalition Government pledged to end the practice of locking up failed asylum families with children. Last month the Prime Minister promised to end the practice "once and for all". A Home Office review is looking at alternatives, including housing children in care, but yesterday Clare Tudor of the Scottish Refugee Council said it wanted "a commitment set in law that would disallow the Government at any time in the future to detain children". A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: "The Government is clear in its commitment to end the detention of children for immigration purposes. One of the first actions was to set up a review and this has changed the UK Border Agency's approach. We are focused on finding an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining immigration laws."
The Independant
In the first large-scale investigation in the UK, Medical Justice gathered the evidence of independent doctors who assessed 141 children detained between 2004 and April 2010. It found that 92 had suffered physical harm, often developing fevers and vomiting, while 50 children received inadequate medical care. More than half, 74, had been psychologically harmed and went on to suffer nightmares, insomnia or became deeply fearful of being locked up again. Almost 50 had witnessed violence in detention while 13 had been injured, notably several children hurt during the break-up of a hunger strike at Yarl's Wood. Last year 1,065 children were held with their families awaiting removal. While there are currently no children in detention, the UK Border Agency would only say "detention of families will be kept to a minimum until the review is completed". After taking office, the coalition Government pledged to end the practice of locking up failed asylum families with children. Last month the Prime Minister promised to end the practice "once and for all". A Home Office review is looking at alternatives, including housing children in care, but yesterday Clare Tudor of the Scottish Refugee Council said it wanted "a commitment set in law that would disallow the Government at any time in the future to detain children". A UK Border Agency spokesperson said: "The Government is clear in its commitment to end the detention of children for immigration purposes. One of the first actions was to set up a review and this has changed the UK Border Agency's approach. We are focused on finding an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining immigration laws."
The Independant
UK BORDER AGENCY INVESTIGATION FINDS CAUSE FOR 'SIGNIFICANT CONCERN'
An investigation into claims by a whistleblower that asylum seekers are mistreated, tricked and humiliated by staff working for the UK Border Agency has found cause for "significant concern" and makes several recommendations for change. The investigation by the agency's professional standards unit, was triggered by a report in the Guardian that revealed the concerns of whistleblower Louise Perrett, a UKBA case owner who worked for three and a half months in the Cardiff office during the summer of 2009. These revelations also led to Perrett giving evidence before the Commons home affairs select committee. Perrett, 29, said some of her colleagues expressed anti-immigration views and took pride in refusing asylum applications. She said that a toy gorilla nicknamed the "grant monkey" was placed as a badge of shame on the desk of any officer who approved an asylum application. Former child soldiers were forced to lie on the office floor and demonstrate how they shot people in the bush, she said, while a test to determine the authenticity of people who claimed to be from North Korea was to ask them if they ate chop suey.
When she asked advice about the legitimacy of a Congolese woman's asylum claim, a legal official apparently replied: "Umbongo, umbongo, they kill them all in the Congo." The investigation found that all allegations apart from the toy gorilla could not be substantiated, but acknowledges that the PCS union circulated advice to their members not to cooperate with the investigation. Identifying a number of areas of concern, the report criticised the asylum team that held the "grant monkey", said that its subsequent removal from the office was correct and that no further action needed to be taken. Perrett had complained to managers about her concerns but no changes were made. "Concerns that she raised informally were not documented which this report finds disappointing," the report states. "Consideration should be given in the Cardiff office of the procedures to follow and an environment where staff are comfortable raising concerns without fear of criticism from other staff."
Recommendations include considering the introduction of a disciplinary offence for failing to challenge inappropriate behaviour, looking at other ways for staff to challenge this behaviour from colleagues, and a reminder to staff about appropriate tests that can be used to assess the credibility of an applicant's claim. "This investigation makes me think that UKBA believed my claims all along, but their work was hindered by the PCS," said Perrett. "My reasons for speaking publicly about my experiences of working for this organisation was to effect cultural change within and ensure that those who seek refuge are treated with dignity and respect and are able to make a claim for asylum without prejudice. I hope the training and procedures to be implemented as a result of this investigation will ensure this." In its response to the investigation, UKBA said: "We believe that this has been a useful exercise for the UK Border Agency and are sure that our agency will be the better for it. We welcome the chance this has given us to have a focused look at ourselves and devise a response accordingly."
The Guardian
When she asked advice about the legitimacy of a Congolese woman's asylum claim, a legal official apparently replied: "Umbongo, umbongo, they kill them all in the Congo." The investigation found that all allegations apart from the toy gorilla could not be substantiated, but acknowledges that the PCS union circulated advice to their members not to cooperate with the investigation. Identifying a number of areas of concern, the report criticised the asylum team that held the "grant monkey", said that its subsequent removal from the office was correct and that no further action needed to be taken. Perrett had complained to managers about her concerns but no changes were made. "Concerns that she raised informally were not documented which this report finds disappointing," the report states. "Consideration should be given in the Cardiff office of the procedures to follow and an environment where staff are comfortable raising concerns without fear of criticism from other staff."
Recommendations include considering the introduction of a disciplinary offence for failing to challenge inappropriate behaviour, looking at other ways for staff to challenge this behaviour from colleagues, and a reminder to staff about appropriate tests that can be used to assess the credibility of an applicant's claim. "This investigation makes me think that UKBA believed my claims all along, but their work was hindered by the PCS," said Perrett. "My reasons for speaking publicly about my experiences of working for this organisation was to effect cultural change within and ensure that those who seek refuge are treated with dignity and respect and are able to make a claim for asylum without prejudice. I hope the training and procedures to be implemented as a result of this investigation will ensure this." In its response to the investigation, UKBA said: "We believe that this has been a useful exercise for the UK Border Agency and are sure that our agency will be the better for it. We welcome the chance this has given us to have a focused look at ourselves and devise a response accordingly."
The Guardian
Sunday, 8 August 2010
FREE PRESS SOCIETY HEAD SAID TO HAVE MADE RACIST REMARKS AGAINST MUSLIMS (Denmark)
The chairman of the Freedom of the Press Society, Lars Hedegaard, has been charged with making racist remarks by the Public Prosecutor for Copenhagen.
The charge comes after Hedegaard on the blog site Snaphanen in December 2009 described rape as common in Muslim families, especially girls by their uncles, cousins or fathers. Hedegaard told Jyllands Posten newspaper that he had was not worried about the charge but was interested to see how the situation will play out. In a press release published later he stated that his statement did not cover all Muslims, but was a critique of Islam in general. Despite the change in comment, though, the Public Prosecutor has chosen to stand by the charge. Asked if he regretted the comment, Hedegaard said the only thing he regretted was the misunderstanding, but that he hoped for an opportunity to rectify this. The charges prompted Hedegaard to leave the Danish People’s Party in order to avoid having his comments reflect negatively on the nationalist political party. Following Hedegaard’s comments, numerous prominent members left the society. Liberal politician Søren Pind and the Conservative Naser Khader have both left and vicar and speaker Kathrine Lilleør said that she was thrown out of the society after not supporting the chairman. The hearing is scheduled for 24 January.
Copenhagen Post
The charge comes after Hedegaard on the blog site Snaphanen in December 2009 described rape as common in Muslim families, especially girls by their uncles, cousins or fathers. Hedegaard told Jyllands Posten newspaper that he had was not worried about the charge but was interested to see how the situation will play out. In a press release published later he stated that his statement did not cover all Muslims, but was a critique of Islam in general. Despite the change in comment, though, the Public Prosecutor has chosen to stand by the charge. Asked if he regretted the comment, Hedegaard said the only thing he regretted was the misunderstanding, but that he hoped for an opportunity to rectify this. The charges prompted Hedegaard to leave the Danish People’s Party in order to avoid having his comments reflect negatively on the nationalist political party. Following Hedegaard’s comments, numerous prominent members left the society. Liberal politician Søren Pind and the Conservative Naser Khader have both left and vicar and speaker Kathrine Lilleør said that she was thrown out of the society after not supporting the chairman. The hearing is scheduled for 24 January.
Copenhagen Post
Saturday, 7 August 2010
France starts removing Roma camps
On Friday, about 100 people were moved on after police emptied a camp in the central city of Saint-Etienne.
The Roma had been living there in makeshift shelters and tents since May.
It was the first such move since President Nicolas Sarkozy announced a week ago plans to shut 300 illegal camps within the next three months.
Mr Sarkozy also said members of the Roma community who had committed public order offences would be deported immediately.
The order was a response to last month's attack on a police station in the Loire Valley town of Saint-Aignon by a group of young Roma.
'Shocking living standards'
Police began the operation to clear the makeshift homes and tents on council-owned land in Saint-Etienne shortly after dawn on Friday.
Officers first sealed off the area, and then removed the occupants.
The BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris says a Romanian police officer was present, a sign that these members of the Roma community were recent immigrants from Eastern Europe.
President Sarkozy's government has recently struck a hard line towards what he has defined as "certain elements" in theRoma and traveller communities, our correspondent says.
This followed the riot in Saint-Aignon, which erupted after a gendarme shot and killed a traveller who had driven through a checkpoint, officials said.
The government's decision to clear 300 unauthorised camps - reportedly half the total in France - has been condemned by human rights groups, who say it is deliberately stigmatising a generally law-abiding section of society to win support among right-wing voters.
However, a poll out this week suggests that the majority of the population approves of the government's toughening line on law and order, our correspondent adds.
The government has said it cannot "tolerate" the camps, describing them as "sources of illegal trafficking, of profoundly shocking living standards, of exploitation of children for begging, of prostitution and crime".
There are hundreds of thousands of Roma or travelling people living in France who are part of long-established communities.
The other main Roma population is made up of recent immigrants, mainly from Romania and Bulgaria. They have the right to enter France without a visa but must have work or residency permits to settle over the long-term.
BBC News
Disabled Australians subjected to hate crimes
But the researcher making the claims, visiting US academic Dr Mark Sherry, says the lack of legal recognition of disability hate crime means it is often characterised as abuse and penalised lightly.
One cerebral palsy sufferer has told ABC Radio's AM that he and his wife have been victims of hate crime in Brisbane and it was not taken seriously by authorities.
Aboriginal man Byron Albury says the hate crime was perpetrated by past neighbours because he and his wife have cerebral palsy and rely on wheelchairs.
"They'd leave abusive notes in our mailbox; they'd abuse us for parking maxi taxis [that were] dropping off in front of their property or picking up in front of their property because of their size," he said.
"We tried to resolve this like rational people and they just weren't interested, basically.
"We got comments from them like 'you've devalued the property, [it was] bad enough that nobody told us that you lived here, because if [we had known] you lived here we wouldn't buy the property'."
Such treatment is common, and it often gets much worse, according to Dr Sherry, who has written a book about it.
He cites the self-described Teenage Kings of Werribee who were alleged to have sexually assaulted and urinated on a disabled girl in 2006. They received suspended sentences.
But Dr Sherry says thousands of Australians experience disability hate crimes each year.
"Some of it goes back to social Darwinist ideas about survival of the fittest; some of them talk about their images of disabled people being smelly or dirty or bad karma, possessed by the devil," he said.
AM spoke to a former Australian adult guardian, the statutory appointee who oversees the affairs of adults with disabilities.
He said he had not encountered the issue of hate crime against people with disabilities.
Dr Sherry says that is "exactly the level of ignorance" that allows it to continue.
He says Australia must follow the lead of the US and others and legally recognise disability hate crime so that it attracts higher penalties, and then efforts can be made to tackle the problem.
ABC News
Romanian central bank accused of racism
The central bank marked 125 years since the setting up of the Romanian Orthodox Church with five silver coins, the first of which was of Miron Cristea, who led the Church between 1925 and 1939 and headed the Romanian government 1938-39.
As prime minister, Cristea amended the citizenship law, thereby stripping 225,000 Jews (or 37 percent of the country's total Jewish population) of their Romanian citizenship.
"By minting these coins we definitely did not wish to send a racist, xenophobic or anti-Semitic message," BNR governor Mugur Isarescu said.
He added the BNR was making "a clear distinction between the patriarch and the prime minister".
But he stressed that after receiving a letter of protest from the Holocaust Museum he decided to set up a commission that will "analyze the situation and come up with a solution".
"The decision should be made public in a few days' time," Isarescu said.
In a study published in 2004, an international commission of historians said Cristea "demonized the Jews" and called for their deportation.
The commission also established that some 270,000 Romanian and Ukrainian Jews died between 1940 and 1944, during marshal Ion Antonescu's pro-Nazi regime, while some 25,000 Gypsies were deported, half of whom died.
Romania had long denied its participation in Nazi Germany's Holocaust, triggering criticism from Israel and Jewish organizations.
The Telegraph
IRANIAN HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER SEEKS ASYLUM (Turkey)
The lawyer who defended a woman sentenced to death by stoning in Iran is in Istanbul and has applied for asylum in a third country, a source at the United Nations refugee agency said yesterday. Defence lawyer Mohammad Mostafaei disappeared from Tehran on July 24th after questioning by Iranian authorities, and his wife and brother-in-law were later arrested, according to an Amnesty International report. “At the moment he is in Istanbul and he is in a facility where migrants are being held,” said a UNHCR source. “He requested asylum and his claim has been registered,” said the source, who added that his office was working with the Turkish government to find a third country to take Mr Mostafaei. Amnesty International called on Iran last month to end what it called the harassment of human rights lawyers. Mr Mostafaei is an outspoken critic of the Iranian judicial system, criticising the execution of minors as well as the use of stoning in executions. Most recently he defended Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, whom Amnesty International said was convicted in 2006 of having an “illicit relationship” with two men. She received 99 lashes as punishment, but was later convicted of “adultery while being married” and sentenced to death by stoning. She denied the charge. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva offered last week to give the woman asylum, but Iran rejected the offer. The stoning sentence was suspended pending a review but could still be carried out.
Reuters
Reuters
RACISM HELP CENTRE PLAN FOR BELFAST (N. Ireland)
A centre for victims of racial harassment is to open in Belfast. The migrant centre will provide a one-stop shop with bilingual staff and will be funded with a £424,276 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. It will open in December and will be operated by the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities (Nicem). Nicem executive director Patrick Yu said: "The Belfast migrant centre is an exciting ground-breaking project set up under the umbrella of Nicem. It is the only one of its kind in Northern Ireland." The centre will help people access public services and support victims of racist attacks. It will provide education and training and increase rights awareness. A panel of ministers will be established to take forward the Government's commitment to equality and inclusiveness through a Cohesion, Sharing and Integration Initiative (CSI). The Executive will examine what support can be given to migrants who are working but then find themselves out of a job.
Belfast Telegraph
Belfast Telegraph
Mayor defends Cork town from anti- Semitism charges (Ireland)
It was later taken down after protests by Jewish leaders.
The existence of the site titled “the Invasion of Jews in Midleton" was first reported by IrishCentral.com and was later picked up by the Jerusalem Post among other leading Jewish newspapers.
The page, was created after the arrival of a number of Orthodox Satmar Jews into the East Cork town best known for Jameson’s distillery for a two-week vacation.
Among the slurs were pictures of menacing looking Jews, a reference to the nearby town of Ovens and a large number of messages approving of the site.
The Mayor of Midleton, Niall O’Neill, said the anti-Semitic comments posted on the page did not no way representative of the local people.
“Facebook is a forum for discussion for individuals to post individual opinions; it is no more and no less than that. The people of Midleton would certainly not be considered a community that would not extend a warm welcome to people of all shades, colors and creeds,” he said.
Mr O’Neill stated: “There’s been no case in point where there have been issues with any people, from any background, coming to the town."
Fred Rosehill, the chairman of the trustees of Cork’s Jewish community, said he was deeply upset.
“The strictly Orthodox dress brings attention of course, but it doesn’t warrant this.
“There is no reason to accept any form of anti-Semitism.”
He added: “The reference to Ovens is quite startling.”
Irish Central
Rise in racism among schoolchildren (UK)
Discouraging figures, revealed by Suffolk County Council (SCC) as a result of a Freedom of Information request by The EADT, show incidents of racism rose by nearly 12% in a year.
The increase will be particularly galling for education bosses who last year welcomed a marked drop across much of the region in verbal abuse and racially motivated ostracism.
Reports of racism among primary school pupils totalled 231 during the 2008/09 academic year – up from 206 in 2007/08.
At middle school level, reported incidents fell slightly from 121 to 119, but at high school racism has become more common, with reported incidents rising from 214 in 2007/08 to 261 in 2008/09.
The most startling increase came in the form of physical assaults and ‘‘racist graffiti’’ – reports of which more than doubled at schools in the west of the county.
In four years, since 2005, reports of racism in all of Suffolk’s schools have increased by nearly half, with incidents in high school’s more than doubling from 112 to 261. Schools have been reporting incidents of racism since 1993 and the council has insisted upon a 100% declaration of reports since the 1996/97 academic year.
In response to the findings, SCC said schools with an increase in the number of incidents have improved reporting systems and have made it clear to staff that all incidents must be reported, which the council said has led to more incidents being recorded.
Adrian Orr, the council’s senior advisor for social inclusion who has been leading the battle against racism in schools, said: “There has been a rise in the number of racist incidents that has been reported by schools across the county and it is an issue that we are closely investigating.
“Schools are reporting more incidents than they did in the past. We are now proactively checking for this kind of incident – where schools may in the past not have reported incidents they are doing so now.”
Mr Orr said there were many complex issues surrounding racism at school and the nature of the schools themselves was an important factor.
He said: “There are more students from a black or minority ethnic background in schools in the southern part of the county rather than the north or west.
“But that does raise different questions. If there are smaller numbers, does that increase the danger of people feeling isolated or ostracised?
“We will be getting new figures later in the year and they will tell their own story again – this is an issue the county is determined to remain on top of.”
The percentage of minority pupils in Suffolk schools has increased from 8.7% in the January 2008 school census to 12.7% in January 2009.
But Jane Basham, Chief Executive of Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality said: “The impact of racism on young people is not properly being addressed.
Attitudes towards immigration and Islamaphobia are spilling over into our schools and is cause for concern.
“Some schools report incidents quickly, while others don’t appear to take them as seriously. And the report doesn’t tell us what schools are doing about it.
“We face a real challenge, but feel confident that Adrian Orr is listening to our concerns.”
EADT
The increase will be particularly galling for education bosses who last year welcomed a marked drop across much of the region in verbal abuse and racially motivated ostracism.
Reports of racism among primary school pupils totalled 231 during the 2008/09 academic year – up from 206 in 2007/08.
At middle school level, reported incidents fell slightly from 121 to 119, but at high school racism has become more common, with reported incidents rising from 214 in 2007/08 to 261 in 2008/09.
The most startling increase came in the form of physical assaults and ‘‘racist graffiti’’ – reports of which more than doubled at schools in the west of the county.
In four years, since 2005, reports of racism in all of Suffolk’s schools have increased by nearly half, with incidents in high school’s more than doubling from 112 to 261. Schools have been reporting incidents of racism since 1993 and the council has insisted upon a 100% declaration of reports since the 1996/97 academic year.
In response to the findings, SCC said schools with an increase in the number of incidents have improved reporting systems and have made it clear to staff that all incidents must be reported, which the council said has led to more incidents being recorded.
Adrian Orr, the council’s senior advisor for social inclusion who has been leading the battle against racism in schools, said: “There has been a rise in the number of racist incidents that has been reported by schools across the county and it is an issue that we are closely investigating.
“Schools are reporting more incidents than they did in the past. We are now proactively checking for this kind of incident – where schools may in the past not have reported incidents they are doing so now.”
Mr Orr said there were many complex issues surrounding racism at school and the nature of the schools themselves was an important factor.
He said: “There are more students from a black or minority ethnic background in schools in the southern part of the county rather than the north or west.
“But that does raise different questions. If there are smaller numbers, does that increase the danger of people feeling isolated or ostracised?
“We will be getting new figures later in the year and they will tell their own story again – this is an issue the county is determined to remain on top of.”
The percentage of minority pupils in Suffolk schools has increased from 8.7% in the January 2008 school census to 12.7% in January 2009.
But Jane Basham, Chief Executive of Ipswich and Suffolk Council for Racial Equality said: “The impact of racism on young people is not properly being addressed.
Attitudes towards immigration and Islamaphobia are spilling over into our schools and is cause for concern.
“Some schools report incidents quickly, while others don’t appear to take them as seriously. And the report doesn’t tell us what schools are doing about it.
“We face a real challenge, but feel confident that Adrian Orr is listening to our concerns.”
EADT
Friday, 6 August 2010
Bradford churches urge people not to be fooled by EDL group aiming to march
Church leaders in Bradford have urged people not to be fooled into thinking the English Defence League exists to defend Christian values.
The EDL is planning to hold a demonstration in Bradford on Saturday, August 28, but a petition calling for the march to be banned is set to be delivered to Home Secretary Theresa May.
Today, the Churches for Bradford group outlined its views on the EDL in a joint statement signed by the Reverend Barbara Glasson, of the Methodist Church, the Reverend Chris Howson, City Mission Priest, the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean of Bradford, and Father John Newman, of the Roman Catholic Church.
The group said: “Don’t be deceived – the EDL is not Christian.
“Let’s be clear: there are real debates to be had about the nature of British society, and how people of different cultures and faiths (or no faith) can live together in mutual respect while managing our inevitable differences in a civil and non-violent way.
“We also need to allow for principled dissent to aspects of British foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia, while supporting the brave men and women who risk their lives for our country. However, the EDL is hijacking some genuine concerns for their own agenda.”
The Churches for Bradford group questioned why the EDL called themselves ‘English’ and not ‘British’, claming it was because many Muslims were proud to be British, along with other people in this country of Asian or African heritage.
The joint statement said: “Using the word ‘English’ is a hidden way of emphasising the priority of those with white ancestry. We should rather value all British people for who they are, and show the tolerance and acceptance for which the rest of the world has so often admired us.
“How would the EDL ‘defend’ us? Their badge quotes the motto of the (Yorkshire) Emperor Constantine, who conquered the Roman Empire by force, with a cross as his standard.
“But the Christian cross is utterly different from this. It stands for a God who comes in his Son to suffer and die for us, to win us over by love – not by violence and conquest. St George was actually a brown-skinned Palestinian who died for his faith in Jesus, who is revered by many Muslims as well as by Christians.”
Churches for Bradford added that the way to encourage mutual respect between religions and communities was not by provocative demonstrations, but by getting to know and understand each other.
The statement said: “This is how to defeat extremists, whether nationalist or religious.”
Churches for Bradford said it was “ironic” that the EDL wanted to stop Muslim women wearing the veil in public, but then sold ‘burka hoodies’ and red-and-white face masks on their website, so as to hide their own faces from others.
The church leaders said anyone who was concerned about genuine issues the EDL exploited should not stoop to the EDL’s level.
“Instead, get engaged with your neighbours,” said the group.
Churches for Bradford concluded: “We value our country immensely. We believe that the Christian faith has profoundly shaped our heritage and has something unique to offer to everyone in the world. And we believe in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that ‘good is stronger than evil, and love is stronger than hate.”
Telegraph and Argus
The EDL is planning to hold a demonstration in Bradford on Saturday, August 28, but a petition calling for the march to be banned is set to be delivered to Home Secretary Theresa May.
Today, the Churches for Bradford group outlined its views on the EDL in a joint statement signed by the Reverend Barbara Glasson, of the Methodist Church, the Reverend Chris Howson, City Mission Priest, the Very Reverend David Ison, Dean of Bradford, and Father John Newman, of the Roman Catholic Church.
The group said: “Don’t be deceived – the EDL is not Christian.
“Let’s be clear: there are real debates to be had about the nature of British society, and how people of different cultures and faiths (or no faith) can live together in mutual respect while managing our inevitable differences in a civil and non-violent way.
“We also need to allow for principled dissent to aspects of British foreign policy in the Middle East and South Asia, while supporting the brave men and women who risk their lives for our country. However, the EDL is hijacking some genuine concerns for their own agenda.”
The Churches for Bradford group questioned why the EDL called themselves ‘English’ and not ‘British’, claming it was because many Muslims were proud to be British, along with other people in this country of Asian or African heritage.
The joint statement said: “Using the word ‘English’ is a hidden way of emphasising the priority of those with white ancestry. We should rather value all British people for who they are, and show the tolerance and acceptance for which the rest of the world has so often admired us.
“How would the EDL ‘defend’ us? Their badge quotes the motto of the (Yorkshire) Emperor Constantine, who conquered the Roman Empire by force, with a cross as his standard.
“But the Christian cross is utterly different from this. It stands for a God who comes in his Son to suffer and die for us, to win us over by love – not by violence and conquest. St George was actually a brown-skinned Palestinian who died for his faith in Jesus, who is revered by many Muslims as well as by Christians.”
Churches for Bradford added that the way to encourage mutual respect between religions and communities was not by provocative demonstrations, but by getting to know and understand each other.
The statement said: “This is how to defeat extremists, whether nationalist or religious.”
Churches for Bradford said it was “ironic” that the EDL wanted to stop Muslim women wearing the veil in public, but then sold ‘burka hoodies’ and red-and-white face masks on their website, so as to hide their own faces from others.
The church leaders said anyone who was concerned about genuine issues the EDL exploited should not stoop to the EDL’s level.
“Instead, get engaged with your neighbours,” said the group.
Churches for Bradford concluded: “We value our country immensely. We believe that the Christian faith has profoundly shaped our heritage and has something unique to offer to everyone in the world. And we believe in the words of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that ‘good is stronger than evil, and love is stronger than hate.”
Telegraph and Argus
Anti-Pride posters in Nottingham spark Police complaint (UK)
A complaint of homophobia has been made to Nottingham Police after a group of men were seen putting up anti-Pride posters which read Gay Free Zone in the city centre.
A complaint of homophobia has been made to Nottingham Police after a group of men were seen putting up anti-Pride posters which read Gay Free Zone in the city centre.
The stickers and posters were put up just before Nottingham’s Pride festival, circa 31 July, and a member of the public has now made an official complaint to police.
The complainant says: “...the sticker showed a rainbow flag with the text written across it, ‘Gay Free Area’ and a quote from the Koran which wasn’t complimentary.”
He added: “I’m not gay but found the sentiment extremely offensive, blatant homophobia I’d say. If stickers were going around saying Muslim Free Area I’m pretty sure there’d be one hell of a fuss made about it.”
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware that posters and stickers, which oppose homosexuality, were distributed among parts of Nottingham, prior to the Pride March ... As part of our enquiries we have forwarded one sticker and one poster to the Crown Prosecution Service to establish whether this material amounts to a criminal offence.”
Pink Paper
A complaint of homophobia has been made to Nottingham Police after a group of men were seen putting up anti-Pride posters which read Gay Free Zone in the city centre.
The stickers and posters were put up just before Nottingham’s Pride festival, circa 31 July, and a member of the public has now made an official complaint to police.
The complainant says: “...the sticker showed a rainbow flag with the text written across it, ‘Gay Free Area’ and a quote from the Koran which wasn’t complimentary.”
He added: “I’m not gay but found the sentiment extremely offensive, blatant homophobia I’d say. If stickers were going around saying Muslim Free Area I’m pretty sure there’d be one hell of a fuss made about it.”
A Nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: “We are aware that posters and stickers, which oppose homosexuality, were distributed among parts of Nottingham, prior to the Pride March ... As part of our enquiries we have forwarded one sticker and one poster to the Crown Prosecution Service to establish whether this material amounts to a criminal offence.”
Pink Paper
Tory councillor suspended over 'Chaffrica' Facebook jibe
A Tory councillor has been suspended after he dubbed his home town ‘Chaffrica’.
In remarks on the Facebook networking website, he compared the town to an EastEnders storyline with ‘murderers, rapists, concerned ethnic minorities and gay men’.
Neil Rockliffe, who represents Chafford Hundred ward on Thurrock Council in Essex, claimed he was talking about his overgrown ‘jungle’ garden, denied that the comments were racist and said it had been ‘blown out of proportion’.
The Conservative group on Thurrock Council has suspended Mr Rockliffe while an investigation is carried out.
Mr Rockliffe is thought to have been on holiday last month when he posted on his Facebook page that he was ‘missing Chaffrica’.
He said: ‘Thinking the scriptwriters of EastEnders must live on Chafford Hundred ... has all the ingredients ... murderers, rapists, concerned ethnic minorities, gay men etc, etc.’
He said the comments were not intended to be public statements as his Facebook profile can be seen only by ‘friends’ and added: ‘I apologise for any offence caused.
'I absolutely refute the suggestion this was some kind of subliminal racist comment.’
The leader of the Conservative group at Thurrock Council, Garry Hague, said: ‘We are taking this extremely seriously.’
Daily Mail
In remarks on the Facebook networking website, he compared the town to an EastEnders storyline with ‘murderers, rapists, concerned ethnic minorities and gay men’.
Neil Rockliffe, who represents Chafford Hundred ward on Thurrock Council in Essex, claimed he was talking about his overgrown ‘jungle’ garden, denied that the comments were racist and said it had been ‘blown out of proportion’.
The Conservative group on Thurrock Council has suspended Mr Rockliffe while an investigation is carried out.
Mr Rockliffe is thought to have been on holiday last month when he posted on his Facebook page that he was ‘missing Chaffrica’.
He said: ‘Thinking the scriptwriters of EastEnders must live on Chafford Hundred ... has all the ingredients ... murderers, rapists, concerned ethnic minorities, gay men etc, etc.’
He said the comments were not intended to be public statements as his Facebook profile can be seen only by ‘friends’ and added: ‘I apologise for any offence caused.
'I absolutely refute the suggestion this was some kind of subliminal racist comment.’
The leader of the Conservative group at Thurrock Council, Garry Hague, said: ‘We are taking this extremely seriously.’
Daily Mail
2 NY men get decades in prison in hate crime death (USA)
Two men convicted of beating an Ecuadorean immigrant to death after mistaking him and his brother for a gay couple were sentenced to the maximum Thursday and will spend decades in prison.
Keith Phoenix was convicted of murder as a hate crime in the December 2008 death of Jose Sucuzhanay and sentenced to 37 years to life in prison. His co-defendant, Hakim Scott, was convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of a more serious murder charge. He was sentenced to 37 years in prison.
Both men were also convicted of attempted assault of Jose's brother, Romel. Phoenix's first case ended in a mistrial after a juror refused to deliberate.
The victim's mother, Julia Quituna, traveled from Cuenca, Ecuador, and sat in the courtroom with three of her surviving 11 children. Romel Sucuzhanay and Quituna spoke, barely above a whisper, through a Spanish interpreter, saying their lives were forever altered.
Scott and Phoenix were remorseful at the hearing, apologizing to their families and to the Sucuzhanays and reiterating their belief that the case was about a fight that escalated, not a premeditated attack.
"I want to offer my deepest, humblest apology for the outcome of that night," Phoenix said. "I swear to God that is not what I intended to happen."
Scott said he was raised in a family with morals and begged Judge Patricia DiMango to give him a second chance. "Not a day goes by when my heart does not hurt," he said.
But DiMango was not swayed. She told Phoenix it was "beyond the comprehension of any civilized person" that someone motivated "by the sport of it could take another human being's life in such a cruel and violent manner."
The judge called Scott the first physical catalyst because he got out of a car and broke a bottle over Jose Sucuzhanay's head.
The brothers were walking home, arm in arm, from a bar after a party at a Brooklyn church on Dec. 7, 2008, a cold night. Romel Sucuzhanay had put his coat around his brother to keep him warm and was helping him walk because he was drunk.
The defendants, also leaving a party, pulled up in an SUV and began yelling anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs, according to trial testimony.
Jose Sucuzhanay became upset and tried to kick the wheel of the SUV, and Scott got out and smashed the beer bottle over his head, then chased Romel Sucuzhanay down the block with it, according to trial testimony. Phoenix grabbed a bat from the back of the SUV and attacked Jose Sucuzhanay, cracking his skull, according to testimony.
The two drove away and were captured about 20 minutes later on surveillance footage crossing into the Bronx. Prosecutors ended their closing arguments by showing footage of Phoenix on a bridge, smiling.
Members of Phoenix's and Scott's families wept loudly in the courtroom after sentencing. They refused to speak to reporters outside court.
Quituna said in Spanish that she felt bad for them. "As a mother, I feel sad for the family of those who took my son," she said, quietly closing her eyes to gather her thoughts. "But they had no right to take the life of my son and leave his two children orphaned. For me, it is the greatest pain in my life."
Jose Sucuzhanay's brother Diego, who has acted as a family spokesman since the attack, said they would set up a foundation in Jose's honor to help the NYPD provide rewards to find those whose attacks are motivated by hate.
"Today's sentencing sends a message," he said. "The city will not tolerate hate against anyone ... against immigrants. I am sorry my brother had to die for this message."
Associated Press
Keith Phoenix was convicted of murder as a hate crime in the December 2008 death of Jose Sucuzhanay and sentenced to 37 years to life in prison. His co-defendant, Hakim Scott, was convicted of manslaughter but acquitted of a more serious murder charge. He was sentenced to 37 years in prison.
Both men were also convicted of attempted assault of Jose's brother, Romel. Phoenix's first case ended in a mistrial after a juror refused to deliberate.
The victim's mother, Julia Quituna, traveled from Cuenca, Ecuador, and sat in the courtroom with three of her surviving 11 children. Romel Sucuzhanay and Quituna spoke, barely above a whisper, through a Spanish interpreter, saying their lives were forever altered.
Scott and Phoenix were remorseful at the hearing, apologizing to their families and to the Sucuzhanays and reiterating their belief that the case was about a fight that escalated, not a premeditated attack.
"I want to offer my deepest, humblest apology for the outcome of that night," Phoenix said. "I swear to God that is not what I intended to happen."
Scott said he was raised in a family with morals and begged Judge Patricia DiMango to give him a second chance. "Not a day goes by when my heart does not hurt," he said.
But DiMango was not swayed. She told Phoenix it was "beyond the comprehension of any civilized person" that someone motivated "by the sport of it could take another human being's life in such a cruel and violent manner."
The judge called Scott the first physical catalyst because he got out of a car and broke a bottle over Jose Sucuzhanay's head.
The brothers were walking home, arm in arm, from a bar after a party at a Brooklyn church on Dec. 7, 2008, a cold night. Romel Sucuzhanay had put his coat around his brother to keep him warm and was helping him walk because he was drunk.
The defendants, also leaving a party, pulled up in an SUV and began yelling anti-gay and anti-Hispanic slurs, according to trial testimony.
Jose Sucuzhanay became upset and tried to kick the wheel of the SUV, and Scott got out and smashed the beer bottle over his head, then chased Romel Sucuzhanay down the block with it, according to trial testimony. Phoenix grabbed a bat from the back of the SUV and attacked Jose Sucuzhanay, cracking his skull, according to testimony.
The two drove away and were captured about 20 minutes later on surveillance footage crossing into the Bronx. Prosecutors ended their closing arguments by showing footage of Phoenix on a bridge, smiling.
Members of Phoenix's and Scott's families wept loudly in the courtroom after sentencing. They refused to speak to reporters outside court.
Quituna said in Spanish that she felt bad for them. "As a mother, I feel sad for the family of those who took my son," she said, quietly closing her eyes to gather her thoughts. "But they had no right to take the life of my son and leave his two children orphaned. For me, it is the greatest pain in my life."
Jose Sucuzhanay's brother Diego, who has acted as a family spokesman since the attack, said they would set up a foundation in Jose's honor to help the NYPD provide rewards to find those whose attacks are motivated by hate.
"Today's sentencing sends a message," he said. "The city will not tolerate hate against anyone ... against immigrants. I am sorry my brother had to die for this message."
Associated Press
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