Jews living near Berlin are being warned to shed clothing that identifies their religion as fears of neo-Nazi attacks rise.
A leading rabbi in the German state of Brandenburg, made the plea, 65 years after the end of the Second World War and the Holocaust. He is urging Jews not to wear skullcaps, long coats or other “identifying symbols” of Judaism, unless they know self-defence.
Shaul Nekrich, the new chief rabbi of Brandenburg, said: “I think the state has a problem with anti-Semitism.
“I hear the stories from the communities. They are wary of being recognised as Jews on the streets. In the town of Bernau, the synagogue has been defaced with swastikas several times.
“As a Jew it is dangerous to wear things that identify you as such unless you are well versed in martial arts.”
He said that he had been accosted on a train in Brandenburg three years ago by drunks who threw his Hebrew prayer book to the ground.
Formerly from Russia, Rabbi Nekrich is responsible for teaching in an area where there are 1,300 Jews.
After reunification, Brandenburg became the centre of skinhead activity in Germany.
But it was thought that the problem was under control after the introduction of local initiatives to face down Hitler worshippers.
The Mirror
Friday, 7 January 2011
GOVERNMENT VOWS TO ABOLISH DISCRIMINATORY LAW AGAINST ROMA (Turkey)/
A law that allows the Interior Ministry to expel Roma people from Turkey as it deems necessary, referring to this group as “gypsies” in its text, will be abolished, State Minister Faruk Çelik has announced. In a meeting he held with representatives of more than 20 Roma associations from all over Turkey at Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarters yesterday, Çelik said the Roma were highly dignified people who were also sensitive about Turkey’s unity. He said legislation that was first passed in the 1930s urgently needed to be amended. He recalled that the AK Party had removed an article from the Public Works Law of 1934 that stated: “Those who have not shown allegiance to Turkish culture, anarchists, nomadic gypsies, spies and those who have been expelled cannot be accepted as immigrants to Turkey.” He said a similar provision that left it to the will of the Interior Ministry to expel “gypsies” was to be removed this week. “I know the Roma are proud to be citizens of Turkey and to be in Turkey under this flag. They are people who are in love with this country, this flag and the country’s unity. That’s why expressions humiliating the Roma were removed from relevant legislation in 2006,” he said.
The government launched the Roma initiative in late 2009. A government-sponsored workshop was held on Dec. 9, 2009 to address issues facing the Roma community. Representatives of Turkey’s Roma community in Ýstanbul, Edirne, Kýrþehir, Artvin, Van and several other cities, 120 people in all, attended the event. A report was drafted listing the Roma community’s demands from the government following the workshop. In an unprecedented meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan met with nearly 10,000 Roma in March of last year as part of the Roma initiative. Çelik said the government is determined to continue with the Roma initiative and to address problems faced by them. AK Party Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz also delivered a speech during the meeting and said the AK Party government has been exerting great efforts to abolish discrimination and misconceptions in the society about the Roma and other disadvantaged groups. “A Turkey where everyone is a first class citizen and where past mistakes have been abolished is our target,” Kapusuz said. Meanwhile, a group of Roma was in Parliament yesterday and listened to Prime Minister Erdoðan as he delivered a speech during his party’s parliamentary group meeting.
Today Zaman
The government launched the Roma initiative in late 2009. A government-sponsored workshop was held on Dec. 9, 2009 to address issues facing the Roma community. Representatives of Turkey’s Roma community in Ýstanbul, Edirne, Kýrþehir, Artvin, Van and several other cities, 120 people in all, attended the event. A report was drafted listing the Roma community’s demands from the government following the workshop. In an unprecedented meeting, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan met with nearly 10,000 Roma in March of last year as part of the Roma initiative. Çelik said the government is determined to continue with the Roma initiative and to address problems faced by them. AK Party Deputy Chairman Salih Kapusuz also delivered a speech during the meeting and said the AK Party government has been exerting great efforts to abolish discrimination and misconceptions in the society about the Roma and other disadvantaged groups. “A Turkey where everyone is a first class citizen and where past mistakes have been abolished is our target,” Kapusuz said. Meanwhile, a group of Roma was in Parliament yesterday and listened to Prime Minister Erdoðan as he delivered a speech during his party’s parliamentary group meeting.
Today Zaman
Neo-Nazi Guilty in Threat Case (USA)
In U.S. district court in Chicago Wednesday, jurors found avowed neo-Nazi William White (pictured) of Roanoke, Va., guilty of soliciting an attack on Mark Hoffman of Chicago, who six years ago was foreman of the jury that convicted white supremacist Matt Hale of plotting to murder a federal judge.
In 2008, White posted information about Hoffman on the website Overthrow.com, including his home address, his phone numbers, and the fact that he is gay and his partner is African-American. White also wrote on the site that he held Hoffman responsible for what he considered the wrongful conviction of Hale. Hoffman then began receiving numerous hateful and harassing phone calls and text messages, leading federal prosecutors to charge White with solicitation.
Prosecutors said White’s posting of the information clearly showed he wanted to incite violence against Hoffman. Defense attorneys argued that the intent was merely to harass him, which is not a violent crime.
In an unusual development Wednesday, jurors asked for the courtroom to be cleared of press and spectators before they announced their verdict, a request the judge denied. Prosecutors said they could see why the jurors were concerned.
“They were hearing a case where the life of another juror was threatened by a white supremacist because of his role in convicting another dangerous white supremacist,” assistant U.S. attorney William Hogan Jr. told the Tribune. Defense attorney Nishay Sanan, however, said the request showed the verdict was “based on fear,” not the law.
White, who will be sentenced later, faces up to 10 years in prison in the case. He is already serving a 30-month sentence on another online threat conviction in Virginia.
Advocate
Office manager's dismissal 'tainted by race', tribunal told (UK)
The dismissal of an office manager from the north west London company she worked for was "tainted by race", an employment tribunal has been told.
There is overwhelming evidence to support a finding of discrimination, Valerie Moxam's representative, Peter Ward, said in closing submissions.
British-born Ms Moxam, whose parents are from Jamaica, has told the hearing in Watford that David Wood dismissed her from landscaping contractor Visible Changes for reasons of race. She is suing the company, Mr Wood, and the firm's health and safety co-ordinator, Susan Ward.
Ms Moxam, of Dolphin Road, Northolt, west London, who is fair-skinned like her parents, and has ginger hair and blue/green eyes, was fired by text message, the tribunal has heard.
She said she had previously heard racist remarks being made at the firm, of South Harrow, north west London, and added: "There is no doubt in my mind that the reason for my dismissal was, at least in part, my race."
Managing director Mr Wood has denied that he used an email from his accountant telling him of the firm's financial problems as an excuse to get rid of Ms Moxam because she was not fitting in.
He also denied allegations that he made racist comments, including one at a grievance meeting which followed the text message, where he is alleged to have said: "Yeah, I often joked about 'Why do black men have big c****?'
Mr Ward said: "Ms Moxam simply did not fit in in the workplace, because she did not join in with the racist banter. It was becoming obvious to employees that she was from an ethnic minority. 'Who are we going to get rid of?' - That is tainted by race."
Mr Wood has told the tribunal he "panicked" after receiving an email from his accountant, telling him to cut any employee who was not needed. He said he and his wife Alison decided they could do Ms Moxam's work, but he added: "We suffered tremendously when Val left."
The tribunal panel started its deliberations but said it would not give any judgment before Friday morning.
Google Hosted News
There is overwhelming evidence to support a finding of discrimination, Valerie Moxam's representative, Peter Ward, said in closing submissions.
British-born Ms Moxam, whose parents are from Jamaica, has told the hearing in Watford that David Wood dismissed her from landscaping contractor Visible Changes for reasons of race. She is suing the company, Mr Wood, and the firm's health and safety co-ordinator, Susan Ward.
Ms Moxam, of Dolphin Road, Northolt, west London, who is fair-skinned like her parents, and has ginger hair and blue/green eyes, was fired by text message, the tribunal has heard.
She said she had previously heard racist remarks being made at the firm, of South Harrow, north west London, and added: "There is no doubt in my mind that the reason for my dismissal was, at least in part, my race."
Managing director Mr Wood has denied that he used an email from his accountant telling him of the firm's financial problems as an excuse to get rid of Ms Moxam because she was not fitting in.
He also denied allegations that he made racist comments, including one at a grievance meeting which followed the text message, where he is alleged to have said: "Yeah, I often joked about 'Why do black men have big c****?'
Mr Ward said: "Ms Moxam simply did not fit in in the workplace, because she did not join in with the racist banter. It was becoming obvious to employees that she was from an ethnic minority. 'Who are we going to get rid of?' - That is tainted by race."
Mr Wood has told the tribunal he "panicked" after receiving an email from his accountant, telling him to cut any employee who was not needed. He said he and his wife Alison decided they could do Ms Moxam's work, but he added: "We suffered tremendously when Val left."
The tribunal panel started its deliberations but said it would not give any judgment before Friday morning.
Google Hosted News
Warrant issued for man over B.C.-based racist website (Canada)
The RCMP have issued a Canada-wide warrant for Paul Craig Cobb, 59, who is believed to have gone to the United States.
Cobb — who holds both U.S. and Canadian citizenship — runs the website podblanc.com, which he created in 2005 from Estonia, where he was living at the time. The site has since been shut down.
The Estonian government deported him in August 2009 and the RCMP say Cobb has been living in Canada since then.
He was arrested at the Vancouver Public Library last June after a six-month investigation by the B.C. Hate Crime Team.
"During the course of the investigation, evidence was obtained that alleged the website was being operated by Mr. Cobb from various locations within Vancouver and that this website contained hate material," said RCMP spokesman Insp. Tim Shields.
But Cobb was released within 10 hours of his arrest because a criminal charge could not be laid immediately.
He is believed to have fled to the United States soon after his release.
On Dec. 30, 2010, a charge of wilful promotion of hatred was approved against Cobb and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Vancover Sun
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