Hundreds of Latvians have gathered in downtown Riga to commemorate World War II veterans who fought on the side of Nazi Germany in Waffen SS detachments.
A small group of mainly ethnic Russians also have assembled nearby to protest the ceremony, which they claim glorifies fascism and discredits the Soviet Union's enormous sacrifice in defeating Nazi Germany.
A large police contingent is on hand to keep the two sides apart.
Participants in Wednesday's ceremony, including a small number of veterans, will attend a church service and then proceed to the Freedom Monument, where they will lay flowers and sing patriotic songs.
The annual event evokes strong feelings in ethnically divided Latvia.
CJBK
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Prosecution takes stand at Wilders' inciting hatred trial (Netherlands)
The trial of MP Geert Wilders on inciting hatred and discrimination charges continues on Wednesday with the public prosecution department’s reaction to the defence opening statement.
On Monday, Wilders’ lawyer Bram Moszkowicz called for the trial to be scrapped.
The public prosecution department did not originally want to take the case, but it was forced to do so by the appeal court in Amsterdam following protests from a variety of groups and individuals.
At last year’s trial, abandoned following claims of prejudice, the department called for Wilders to be found not guilty on all charges.
Dutch News
On Monday, Wilders’ lawyer Bram Moszkowicz called for the trial to be scrapped.
The public prosecution department did not originally want to take the case, but it was forced to do so by the appeal court in Amsterdam following protests from a variety of groups and individuals.
At last year’s trial, abandoned following claims of prejudice, the department called for Wilders to be found not guilty on all charges.
Dutch News
WIESENTHAL CENTER SLAMS SWEDEN FOR 'JEWISH TAX'
US-based Jewish rights group the Simon Wiesenthal Center on Tuesday criticised Sweden for not doing enough to protect the Jewish community in Malmö following a string of crimes against Jews in the southern Swedish town.
The group among other things blasted Swedish authorities for making the community pay the equivalent of a "Jewish tax," since they themselves had to foot the bill for most security measures, including setting up anti-attack barriers in front of the synagogue during religious celebrations. "It is long overdue that the Swedish authorities assume the costs of the security of the Jewish institutions, especially in a community of 800 people that's been suffering from incidents," Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the centre's associate dean, told AFP. "That's a disaster waiting to happen," he cautioned, also lamenting numerous attacks on Malmö's Muslim and Roma communities. A spokesman for Democracy Minister Birgitta Ohlsson, who met with Cooper in Stockholm Tuesday, told AFP that "discussions" were going on within the government about the issue, but would not provide further details. Representatives from the organisation are currently visiting the southern Swedish city of Malmö for meetings with a number of Swedish officials, including Mayor Ilmar Reepalu, who has previously been criticised for remarks about the city's Jewish community.
The Wiesenthal Center still feels the situation for Jews in Malmö is serious and has proposed a number of measures to improve the situation. However, a travel advisory issued in December will likely remain in place for the time being. "If the status quo is maintained, the Wiesenthal Center's travel warning will remain," the group said in an email sent to the TT news agency. Following a meeting on hate crimes between Reepalu and Cooper, it appeared that differences remain in how both of them view the situation in Malmö. While Reepalu told reporters the meeting was "very good, direct, and open", Cooper was more sober, explain that "we have a lot of work ahead of us", according to the Sydsvenskan newspaper.
Malmö, which is Sweden's third largest city with a population of around 300,000, is home to some 800 Jews, alongside a large, mainly Muslim, immigrant community. Some 400 anti-Semitic acts were registered in Malmö in 2009 alone, accounting for more than half of the total number of hate crimes in that city, and several Jewish families have left in recent years due to the threatening atmosphere, according to local Jewish representatives. In December, shortly after Stockholm suffered its first-ever suicide bombing, the Wiesenthal Centre issued a rare warning, cautioning Jews to avoid traveling to Malmö and telling the ones already there to be very careful. Referring to numerous instances of harassment against people who are visibly Jewish, Cooper asked "How could that happen?" "In a country that rescued the Jews coming from Denmark during World War II, how come a rabbi can (no longer) go to the synagogue with his two children?"
In early 2009, a Davis Cup tennis match in Malmö between Sweden and Israel was forced to play behind closed doors due to security concerns amid massive ant-Israeli protests over the Gaza war. Malmö mayor Ilmar Reepalu has also faced harsh criticism for not taking the threat against the city's Jewish community seriously enough and for comparing Zionism to anti-Semitism. After meeting with Cooper Monday, he stressed to the TT news agency that he in no way was making light of the situation. "Every single Jew who feels fearful and afraid is one too many. This is completely unacceptable," he said, adding that it was up to the national government to provide more funds for addressing the problem. "I really hope that the state will prioritise Malmö in this matter," he said.
The Local Sweden
The group among other things blasted Swedish authorities for making the community pay the equivalent of a "Jewish tax," since they themselves had to foot the bill for most security measures, including setting up anti-attack barriers in front of the synagogue during religious celebrations. "It is long overdue that the Swedish authorities assume the costs of the security of the Jewish institutions, especially in a community of 800 people that's been suffering from incidents," Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the centre's associate dean, told AFP. "That's a disaster waiting to happen," he cautioned, also lamenting numerous attacks on Malmö's Muslim and Roma communities. A spokesman for Democracy Minister Birgitta Ohlsson, who met with Cooper in Stockholm Tuesday, told AFP that "discussions" were going on within the government about the issue, but would not provide further details. Representatives from the organisation are currently visiting the southern Swedish city of Malmö for meetings with a number of Swedish officials, including Mayor Ilmar Reepalu, who has previously been criticised for remarks about the city's Jewish community.
The Wiesenthal Center still feels the situation for Jews in Malmö is serious and has proposed a number of measures to improve the situation. However, a travel advisory issued in December will likely remain in place for the time being. "If the status quo is maintained, the Wiesenthal Center's travel warning will remain," the group said in an email sent to the TT news agency. Following a meeting on hate crimes between Reepalu and Cooper, it appeared that differences remain in how both of them view the situation in Malmö. While Reepalu told reporters the meeting was "very good, direct, and open", Cooper was more sober, explain that "we have a lot of work ahead of us", according to the Sydsvenskan newspaper.
Malmö, which is Sweden's third largest city with a population of around 300,000, is home to some 800 Jews, alongside a large, mainly Muslim, immigrant community. Some 400 anti-Semitic acts were registered in Malmö in 2009 alone, accounting for more than half of the total number of hate crimes in that city, and several Jewish families have left in recent years due to the threatening atmosphere, according to local Jewish representatives. In December, shortly after Stockholm suffered its first-ever suicide bombing, the Wiesenthal Centre issued a rare warning, cautioning Jews to avoid traveling to Malmö and telling the ones already there to be very careful. Referring to numerous instances of harassment against people who are visibly Jewish, Cooper asked "How could that happen?" "In a country that rescued the Jews coming from Denmark during World War II, how come a rabbi can (no longer) go to the synagogue with his two children?"
In early 2009, a Davis Cup tennis match in Malmö between Sweden and Israel was forced to play behind closed doors due to security concerns amid massive ant-Israeli protests over the Gaza war. Malmö mayor Ilmar Reepalu has also faced harsh criticism for not taking the threat against the city's Jewish community seriously enough and for comparing Zionism to anti-Semitism. After meeting with Cooper Monday, he stressed to the TT news agency that he in no way was making light of the situation. "Every single Jew who feels fearful and afraid is one too many. This is completely unacceptable," he said, adding that it was up to the national government to provide more funds for addressing the problem. "I really hope that the state will prioritise Malmö in this matter," he said.
The Local Sweden
'No attention' paid to hate crime (UK)
"Virtually no attention" has been paid to why people carry out hate crimes in Scotland, the Equality and Human Rights Commission Scotland (EHRCS) has said.
The commission said the number of hate crimes in the country was rising, but there was still a "critical need" for programmes to prevent reoffending.
The body has launched the UK's first international study into how hate crime offenders could be rehabilitated.
As it launched the Rehabilitation of Hate Crime Offenders report, the EHRCS said there were "record levels" of racially motivated crime recorded in Scotland, with more than 6,200 incidents recorded between 2009 and 2010.
It also found two-thirds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland had reported being verbally abused or threatened, with more than a third reporting being physically attacked, and disabled people were four times more likely to be the victim of a crime than other people and twice as likely to be the victim of a violent attack.
Kaliani Lyle of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "This report highlights the critical need for rehabilitation programmes for hate crime offenders.
"Given the serious nature of this type of crime, and the detrimental and sustained impact that it has on victims, we need to improve our knowledge base about hate crime offenders and what motivates them, and develop strategies to tackle and reduce the problem and reoffending rates.
"Legislation on its own is not the magic solution. We need to plug the knowledge gap that currently exists when it comes to changing behaviours and attitudes, and draw on existing expertise to develop a nationwide approach."
The report puts forward recommendations for designing and delivering programmes that challenge offenders' motivations and help rehabilitate them.
The recommendations are aimed at community justice authorities and prison service managers in Scotland, and at third sector organisations working in partnership with statutory agencies to provide programmes for offenders.
Google Hosted News
The commission said the number of hate crimes in the country was rising, but there was still a "critical need" for programmes to prevent reoffending.
The body has launched the UK's first international study into how hate crime offenders could be rehabilitated.
As it launched the Rehabilitation of Hate Crime Offenders report, the EHRCS said there were "record levels" of racially motivated crime recorded in Scotland, with more than 6,200 incidents recorded between 2009 and 2010.
It also found two-thirds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Scotland had reported being verbally abused or threatened, with more than a third reporting being physically attacked, and disabled people were four times more likely to be the victim of a crime than other people and twice as likely to be the victim of a violent attack.
Kaliani Lyle of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "This report highlights the critical need for rehabilitation programmes for hate crime offenders.
"Given the serious nature of this type of crime, and the detrimental and sustained impact that it has on victims, we need to improve our knowledge base about hate crime offenders and what motivates them, and develop strategies to tackle and reduce the problem and reoffending rates.
"Legislation on its own is not the magic solution. We need to plug the knowledge gap that currently exists when it comes to changing behaviours and attitudes, and draw on existing expertise to develop a nationwide approach."
The report puts forward recommendations for designing and delivering programmes that challenge offenders' motivations and help rehabilitate them.
The recommendations are aimed at community justice authorities and prison service managers in Scotland, and at third sector organisations working in partnership with statutory agencies to provide programmes for offenders.
Google Hosted News
NEO-NAZI CANDIDATE PROBED FOR WEB BOMB TIPS (Germany)
Matthias Heyder, who hopes to lead the far-right party into the state legislature on March 20, is under suspicion of using an online forum to discuss possible terrorist attacks, bomb-making methods and the "defiling" of left-leaning women under the pseudonym "Junker Jörg."
The story, first broken by public broadcaster ARD, was confirmed by the Saxony-Anhalt Interior Ministry on Tuesday.
"According to the excerpts of this internet forum made available to us, it's very plausible that no one other than Mr. Heyder is behind these entries," said Martin Krems, a spokesman for the ministry.
The state police have now been asked to secure computer data and other information.
The forum itself is registered to Holger Apfel, the NPD parliamentary group leader in Saxony. Apfel, who is also heading the party's election campaign in Saxony-Anhalt, is a close confidante of Heyder.
Investigators have found hundreds of entries made by "Junker Jörg" since 2004 on the forum, including a good deal of insider information about the NPD such as detailed postings on campaign strategy, photographs to be used in campaign material and drafts of party brochures.
Entries which concern investigators were found under the subcategory "weapons" and explain in seven steps how an explosive device could be assembled. Experts believe the detailed description, which includes exactly how much of various substances should be used, is punishable by law.
In one entry, Junker Jörg wrote: "20 suitcases, 20 men, 20 train stations. The Federal Republic paralysed. Everything legal. Cost under €1,000. What's the problem?"
Heyder, when contacted by ARD, said he doubted he had ever written anything in the forum in question. He did tell reporters, however, that the forum was private and threatened to press charges for "data theft" if postings were made public.
According to recent polls, the NPD could get enough votes in Sunday's election to gain seats in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament. It would be the third eastern German state to have members of the neo-Nazi party represented after Saxony and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Heyder and the party have been careful to cultivate a moderate image in the election campaign, however, discussions in the internet forum where Junker Jörg often posted smirked at the efforts while concluding that they were necessary politically.
The Local Germany
CHRISTIAN DEMOCRATS CRITICISE CALL FOR RELIGIOUS SYMBOL BAN (Netherlands)
MPs on Tuesday criticised calls from VVD MP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert for a debate on the separation of church and state. The MP made the comments in an interview in the Pers newspaper, during which she called for a ban on Islamic headscarves and other religious symbols in public buildings. CDA MP Mirjam Sterk said a ban would conflict with the fundamental right to freedom of religion. 'What problem does the VVD want to solve with this?,' she said. 'This plan will work against the emancipation of women.' The CDA and VVD form the current minority coalition government.
Freedom of religion
André Rouvoet, leader of the orthodox Christian ChristenUnie also criticised Hennis. 'Yet another Liberal who considers freedom of religion to be unnecessary,' he said, using the microblogging service Twitter. D66 MP Gerard Schouw accused the MP of 'headscarf hobbyism' and said the VVD might as well merge with the anti-Islam PVV. The PVV wants a ban on Islamic headscarves in all public buildings. In the interview, Hennis-Plasschaert called for a thoughtful debate. ‘We talk a lot about the separation of church and state, but the church has become involved in the state in a lot of ways,' she said. 'Look at religious schools and the way public broadcasting is organised. That goes for ritual slaughter as well.’ The coalition government has already made concessions on Sunday trading with the fundamentalist SGP. The coalition may also rely on the SGP for majority support in the upper house of parliament.
VVD MP calls for debate on separation of church and state
15/3/2011- There should be a ‘more reflective debate about the separation of church and state’, VVD MP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert says in an interview with the Pers newspaper. The current debate is ‘too confined’ because ‘Christian parties are exerting pressure as well,’ the MP said. Hennis-Plasschaert pointed out that Islamic headscarves are banned in Turkish public institutions and universities, and that France has brought in a ban on headscarves in schools. ‘I would very much like to have that debate about when you can wear a headscarf,’ she said. The MP said a ban on religious symbols would cover all religions.
Schools
‘We talk a lot about the separation of church and state, but the church has become involved in the state in a lot of ways,' she said. 'Look at religious schools and the way public broadcasting is organised. That goes for ritual slaughter as well.’ The VVD is in a coalition government with the Christian Democrats and has made concessions on Sunday trading with the fundamentalist SGP. The coalition may also rely on the SGP for majority support in the upper house of parliament.
Dutch News
Freedom of religion
André Rouvoet, leader of the orthodox Christian ChristenUnie also criticised Hennis. 'Yet another Liberal who considers freedom of religion to be unnecessary,' he said, using the microblogging service Twitter. D66 MP Gerard Schouw accused the MP of 'headscarf hobbyism' and said the VVD might as well merge with the anti-Islam PVV. The PVV wants a ban on Islamic headscarves in all public buildings. In the interview, Hennis-Plasschaert called for a thoughtful debate. ‘We talk a lot about the separation of church and state, but the church has become involved in the state in a lot of ways,' she said. 'Look at religious schools and the way public broadcasting is organised. That goes for ritual slaughter as well.’ The coalition government has already made concessions on Sunday trading with the fundamentalist SGP. The coalition may also rely on the SGP for majority support in the upper house of parliament.
VVD MP calls for debate on separation of church and state
15/3/2011- There should be a ‘more reflective debate about the separation of church and state’, VVD MP Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert says in an interview with the Pers newspaper. The current debate is ‘too confined’ because ‘Christian parties are exerting pressure as well,’ the MP said. Hennis-Plasschaert pointed out that Islamic headscarves are banned in Turkish public institutions and universities, and that France has brought in a ban on headscarves in schools. ‘I would very much like to have that debate about when you can wear a headscarf,’ she said. The MP said a ban on religious symbols would cover all religions.
Schools
‘We talk a lot about the separation of church and state, but the church has become involved in the state in a lot of ways,' she said. 'Look at religious schools and the way public broadcasting is organised. That goes for ritual slaughter as well.’ The VVD is in a coalition government with the Christian Democrats and has made concessions on Sunday trading with the fundamentalist SGP. The coalition may also rely on the SGP for majority support in the upper house of parliament.
Dutch News
BNP’S secret union (UK)
A SHADOWY trade union run by a former National Front leader is causing strife at Shorts, it has been claimed.
But new members don’t realise they are getting into bed with the BNP.
Solidarity – a right wing union run by Edinburgh based activist Patrick Harrington – is targeting members of other trade unions to get them to jump ship.
Shorts Bombardier is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers with over 6,500 workers and the main union which supports workers there is Unite.
But traditional trade unionists at the aircraft components factory in east Belfast have described the Solidarity supporters as a “BNP cabal”.
Solidarity is the union wing of the British National Party and operates to drum up support for the right wing party although it’s believed they have less than 500 members across the UK.
The Ulster wing of the BNP is currently being run by nasty fascist Stephen Moore, who we revealed last year refers to Muslims as ‘Ragheads’ and Catholics as ‘Taigs’.
Force
Harrington and Moore are busy recruiting in Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Assembly and council elections in May.
And on Friday BNP leader Nick Griffin sent an open letter to thousands of targets asking them to join Solidarity.
However despite their name, Solidarity almost always takes the side of the bosses during any dispute, it has been claimed.
“There is a secret cabal of right-wing nutters working within Shorts,” said a source from inside the aerospace company.
“They are trying to force staff into breaking away from Unite to join Solidarity.
“They want people to join Solidarity and are digging up old sectarian fears.
“But what these people aren’t telling the workers is they would be marching into the arms of the BNP if they join them.”
Shorts has a history of sectarian tensions and the Sunday World understands that there has been a concerted rise in complaints made against Catholics employed by Unite as full-time or lay officials.
“The cabal are annoyed with Unite’s stance on a number of key issues and are secretly trying to stir up strife by writing anonymous letters to the press claiming hundreds of Unite members are planning to join Solidarity,’’ said our source.
“This group have been against Unite’s support for humanitarian aid for Palestine as well as opposing the union’s campaign for Lesbian and Gay rights.
“They have constantly carped that members would split away from the Union if these kind of policies persisted.
“We know the elements that make up ‘Bombardier’s Nazi Party.’ They are just a bunch of obstructionist drunks who drape themselves in the union flag when it suits them especially at voting time.
“Their links to the BNP and even the UDA are well known. Basically they are just a bunch of foul-mouthed bigots who do nothing for the membership.
“It’s a drinking club for idiots and slabbers who are in bed with the bosses anyway.
“The fact they have been writing to the press talking about a ‘Protestant backlash’ shows their true colours.
“A few gullible members may believe their tripe and follow them but they haven’t been told it will be the BNP they are marching into.
Joining
“Unite should call their bluff – if they want to go let them go!”
Patrick Harrington – who is himself on the BNP payroll – is a long term friend of BNP leader Nick Griffin.
The pair were senior figures in the anti-black group the National Front back in the 1980s.
Harrington split from the NF years ago and is now General Secretary of Solidarity as well as being a member of the National Liberal Party.
Anti-fascist magazine reporter Matthew Collins has warned anyone thinking of joining Harrington’s union.
“They should think about joining Harrington very carefully,” says Collins.
“Solidarity is a scab trade union that didn’t even defend the rights of the BNP office staff when they were made redundant.
“They are always on the side of the bosses and like all bosses they want to divide the workforce along ethnicity.
“During every major industrial dispute the BNP have supported the bosses like the miner’s strike and the print dispute.”
Hope not Hate/Searchlight
But new members don’t realise they are getting into bed with the BNP.
Solidarity – a right wing union run by Edinburgh based activist Patrick Harrington – is targeting members of other trade unions to get them to jump ship.
Shorts Bombardier is one of Northern Ireland’s biggest employers with over 6,500 workers and the main union which supports workers there is Unite.
But traditional trade unionists at the aircraft components factory in east Belfast have described the Solidarity supporters as a “BNP cabal”.
Solidarity is the union wing of the British National Party and operates to drum up support for the right wing party although it’s believed they have less than 500 members across the UK.
The Ulster wing of the BNP is currently being run by nasty fascist Stephen Moore, who we revealed last year refers to Muslims as ‘Ragheads’ and Catholics as ‘Taigs’.
Force
Harrington and Moore are busy recruiting in Northern Ireland in the run-up to the Assembly and council elections in May.
And on Friday BNP leader Nick Griffin sent an open letter to thousands of targets asking them to join Solidarity.
However despite their name, Solidarity almost always takes the side of the bosses during any dispute, it has been claimed.
“There is a secret cabal of right-wing nutters working within Shorts,” said a source from inside the aerospace company.
“They are trying to force staff into breaking away from Unite to join Solidarity.
“They want people to join Solidarity and are digging up old sectarian fears.
“But what these people aren’t telling the workers is they would be marching into the arms of the BNP if they join them.”
Shorts has a history of sectarian tensions and the Sunday World understands that there has been a concerted rise in complaints made against Catholics employed by Unite as full-time or lay officials.
“The cabal are annoyed with Unite’s stance on a number of key issues and are secretly trying to stir up strife by writing anonymous letters to the press claiming hundreds of Unite members are planning to join Solidarity,’’ said our source.
“This group have been against Unite’s support for humanitarian aid for Palestine as well as opposing the union’s campaign for Lesbian and Gay rights.
“They have constantly carped that members would split away from the Union if these kind of policies persisted.
“We know the elements that make up ‘Bombardier’s Nazi Party.’ They are just a bunch of obstructionist drunks who drape themselves in the union flag when it suits them especially at voting time.
“Their links to the BNP and even the UDA are well known. Basically they are just a bunch of foul-mouthed bigots who do nothing for the membership.
“It’s a drinking club for idiots and slabbers who are in bed with the bosses anyway.
“The fact they have been writing to the press talking about a ‘Protestant backlash’ shows their true colours.
“A few gullible members may believe their tripe and follow them but they haven’t been told it will be the BNP they are marching into.
Joining
“Unite should call their bluff – if they want to go let them go!”
Patrick Harrington – who is himself on the BNP payroll – is a long term friend of BNP leader Nick Griffin.
The pair were senior figures in the anti-black group the National Front back in the 1980s.
Harrington split from the NF years ago and is now General Secretary of Solidarity as well as being a member of the National Liberal Party.
Anti-fascist magazine reporter Matthew Collins has warned anyone thinking of joining Harrington’s union.
“They should think about joining Harrington very carefully,” says Collins.
“Solidarity is a scab trade union that didn’t even defend the rights of the BNP office staff when they were made redundant.
“They are always on the side of the bosses and like all bosses they want to divide the workforce along ethnicity.
“During every major industrial dispute the BNP have supported the bosses like the miner’s strike and the print dispute.”
Hope not Hate/Searchlight
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