European Action Day for Victims of Hate Crimes

 

                                                                           In Memoriam of the Victims of Norway´s attacks

July the 22nd

European Action Day for Victims of Hate Crimes

Two years ago, Norway suffered the worst massacre since World War II. 77 people were murdered, most of them just because their political ideas as young members of Labour Party. The unnamable killer is a terrorist inspired by the ideology of racism, islamophobia and intolerance. Ideas shared by the right wing extremism willing to destroy Democracy and whip out values of equality, tolerance and diversity. They clearly intend to end up with the global Human Rights advances.

The July 22^nd hatred motivated terrorist attack was not an isolate tragedy. Other hate crimes have shocked European society. German neo-Nazi murders scandal linked to intelligence services, racist crimes in Italy, harassment of Roma people in central Europe, attacks to Jews and Muslims, desecration of religious places, homophobic aggressions, attacks on individuals and organizations denying its diversity and similar attempts of massacres in Paris and Majorca  are some examples of this wave of hate and violence in Europe.

Europe is not very used to remembrance however memory is more important than ever in order to preserve the victim´s dignity. We need more commitment and determination against racism and related intolerance. Democratic courage is required for a better struggle against the imminent threat of poisoned extremist ideologies. Europe assumed values of equality, tolerance and diversity after the tragedy of Holocaust in order to shout “never again”, these principles are in danger and that means vulnerability for human beings.

An European Day for Victims of Hate Crimes is part of a comprehensive strategy to defeat ideologies that promote hatred and violence, and a way to preserve human dignity, democratic values, and Human Rights. The July 22^nd attack was a turning point for the struggle against intolerance. The shared sorrow of Utoya and Oslo is a call for justice emerging from an irreparable loss of human lives. This is why ONGs are proposing to the European Parliament to set up this European Day for the Victims of Hate Crimes. Besides we encourage civil society, institutions and citizens to support this initiative.

The Council of Europe and the No Hate Speech Movement have stated the European Action Day for the Victims of Hate Crimes. We invite all the European citizens, civil society, organizations and institutions to support this initiative and to ask to the European Parliament and other public authorities to join the actions developed.

In Oslo, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Warsaw, Berlin… July the 22^nd

Supporting organizations

Europe

Movement against Intolerance

CEJI, Jewish Contribution for an Inclusive Europe

ERRC, European Roma Rights Centre

INACH, International Network against Cyber-Hate

Fundación Magenta, the Netherladns

ILGA Europe

ENAR, European Network against Racism

Norwegian Authorities

Labour Party from Norway – Youth Section

Spain

Movimiento contra la Intolerancia      

Red Europea contra los Crímenes de Odio

Asociación para la Recuperación de la Memoria Histórica 

Partido Socialista de Madrid (PSOE)

Izquierda Unida

Unión Sindical de Madrid de CC.OO.

Unión General de Trabajadores (UGT)

Fundación Violeta Friedmann

Asociación de Víctimas de la Violencia Fascista, Racista y Homófoba

Acción Popular contra la Impunidad     

Plataforma Ciudadana contra la Islamofobia

Federación de Agrupaciones Islámicas por la Convivencia en España (FAICE)  

Centro Cultural Islámico de Valencia.

Federación de Musulmanes en España

Instituto Halal

Junta Islámica

Unión de Mujeres Musulmanas

Voluntariado de Madres Dominicanas. 

Asociación Rumiñahui de Ecuador.

Asociación de Refugiados e Inmigrantes Peruanos en España (ARI-Peru)

Asociación cultural colombiana ACULCO.

 Confederación  de Asociaciones Iberoamericanas.

Federación de Entidades Latinoamericanas (FEDELATINA)

Centro Panafricano   y   Revista Wanafrica

Asociación Pro Inmigrantes de Córdoba - Acoge

Asociación Iberoamericana para la Cooperación el Desarrollo y los Derechos Humanos

Unión Romaní    

Fundación Secretariado Gitano

Asociación de Mujeres Gitanas Alborea

Plataforma de Iniciativas Gitanas Madrid

Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales y Bisexuales     

Fundación Triangulo                  

Colectivo Gay de Madrid (COGAM)

Red Cívica contra el Antisemitismo    

Comunidad Judía de Madrid

Consejo de la Juventud de Navarra.

Consejo de la Juventud de León

Foro Social de Madrid

Asociación Unificada de Militares Españoles  (AUME)

Federación de Asociaciones de Vecinos de Madrid

EQUO

                                                                                                             

Madiba's example

In the two semifinals of the Confederations Cup currently being played, the captains of both teams have begun reading a manifesto against racism and other forms of intolerance.

While this was happening, the best example of activism and struggle against racism, resists at the hospital in Pretoria. Nelson Mandela is hospitalized in a health center in his home town since two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the end of his life seems inevitable.

Through his example, by his struggle, is that the football players have read these texts. No figures like him, it would be impossible to be where we are now.

We must keep our work, but many steps have been taken ... thank you Madiba.

Wilders raises tension in Australia

Far-right Dutch politician Geert Wilders’ visit to Australia is raising tension in the country over concerns that his anti-Islam rhetoric would trigger protests from the Muslim community.

Wilders, the leader of the far-right Freedom Party (PVV), has arrived in Australia at the invitation of Q Society, to speak against what he calls the “Islamization” of Europe.

He has been brought to Australia by this organisation, which claims to be "upholding Australian values".

As he arrived in Melbourne, the far-right politician began firing his anti-Islam slurs.

“If you really want to preserve your freedom, if you really want to preserve your identity as a country that is not Islamic, that is based on Christianity and Judaism... you should open your eyes, learn from the mistakes we made in Europe and make sure they don't happen here”, Wilders told.

“Islam has no room for anything but Islam, and Islam will get its way also in Australia. People who are non-Islamic, Jews, Christians and women, would be the first ones to pay the price.”

Australian officials have warned that Wilders could face prosecution if his anti-Islam comments went out of line.

'I Burn Like a Jew' Is Mexico's 6th Most Popular Hashtag on Twitter

“I burn like a Jew” was the sixth most popular hashtag phrase among Mexican Twitter users a week after another anti-Semitic phrase trended in that country. The phrase, #MeQuemoComoJudío, made it to number six among Mexican users on Jan. 23, according to Twed.it, a website which measures the popularity of hashtags – a word, name or phrase preceded by the # symbol which makes Twitter conversations searchable. Some Tweets contained jokes about gas chambers. One Tweet by a user identified as Miguel Angel had attached to it a picture of dead Jews at a Nazi concentration camp juxtaposed with the Milton Bradley Company’s Twister game, in which participants’ limbs are often entangled on a large board. 

“This one is used more like a slang expression, as in ‘I make a fool of Myself = I burn like a Jew,’ according to the Coordination Forum for Countering Antisemitism, an international watchdog. On Jan. 18, the Forum reported that #EsdeJudios, which translates to ‘it’s Jewish to’, or “just like Jews,” was second among trending topics in Mexico. There were mocking references in those tweets people to soap, ashes and gas. A French court on Jan. 24 cited hate speech laws ordering Twitter to share the details of users who made anti-Semitic statements under the hashtag #unbonjuif, or ‘a good Jew’. The social network has yet to decide whether it will comply with the request.

Centre will study fascist and anti-Muslim attacks

A centre dedicated to studying the extreme far right and anti-Muslim attacks has been established by a university.

The Centre for Fascist, Anti-Fascist and Post-Fascist Studies, launched by Teesside University, will look at the historical developments of far-right politics.

Professor Nigel Copsey, along with his colleague, Dr Matthew Feldman, will open the centre at an event to commemorate National Holocaust Memorial Day later this month.

Speaking before the launch, Prof Copsey said recent developments in far-right politics led them to believe there could be more attacks like the one carried out by Anders Behring Breivik in Norway in 2011.

"Over the last year there is no evidence for increased support for the far right. The BNP are fragmented and split and there is growing disillusionment with the EDL," he said.

"All these developments mean we argue it could lead right-wing extremists to think of more extreme actions, like Breivik.

"I'm not saying this will definitely happen but, because of the developments in the far right, there's a vacuum and it raises the potential for more violent actions."

The centre will also look at the opposition to far-right groups and how successful anti-fascist protests are, as well as far-right anti-Muslim activity.

Dr Feldman said: "An important development in radical right activism this century is, without doubt, the turn from anti-Semitism toward anti-Muslim politics.

"One of the things we will be looking at is a quantifiable analysis of far right participation in anti-Muslim attacks."

AsianImage

MCI puts a demand against a neo-Nazi concert in Valencia

Movement Against Intolerance has denounced in front of Valencia’s Prosecutor Office the neo-Nazi concert that would be held on Friday supported by ‘España 2000’, right-wing political party which is fighting to become prime neofascist reference in Spain.

The concert would be held in Valencia. One of the bands that would play is the Italian ‘Killer Sorpresa’. They spread neo-Nazi and anti-Semitic hatred in their songs. Just an example, one of their lyrics expresses that they would kill the Nobel Prize, Rita Levy-Moltacini, a well-known Sephardic lady.

We will keep you informed. 

Warn of Neo-Nazi Terrorism in Europe

A few months ago a classified internal document from the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (BKA) from Germany stated, "We must assume that there will be further xenophobic acts of violence by individuals or perpetrator groups in the form of bodily injury also resulting in death in some cases, arson attacks (against asylum seekers' homes, for example) and, in some isolated cases, also homicide."

Investigators pointed then to the attacks perpetrated in Norway by Anders Behring Breivik as an example of the possibilities.

This is absolutely true. Just a few days ago a 45-year-old academic researcher from Poland has been arrested on suspicion of planning to detonate explosives in a vehicle at the Parliament building during a budget debate.

The man's motives were described as "nationalistic, xenophobic and anti-Semitic" and he is also described by Polish officials as having been inspired and fascinated by Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway last year.

In Spain has happened something similar. In October, a young man from Mallorca planned to use explosives to blow up the University of Illes Balears. He was interested in Adolf Hitler and just a few months before had read the ‘Mein Kampf’; at home had made racist comments and shown repulse among Jews and black people.