Germany: Two policemen suspended over Nazi salute

Police in Germany’s southern state of Bavaria are investigating two officers suspected of performing the illegal Hitler salute. The German constitution makes it a crime to exhibit Nazi symbols and the incident is likely to feed into a heated debate about racism and the rise of the far right after a record influx of mainly […]

Polish President Denounces Anti-Semitism, Xenophobia and Racism Following Far-Right March

Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Monday there was no place in Poland for xenophobia, anti-Semitism and “sick nationalism”, denouncing hate speech at a nationalist march in Warsaw in comments later echoed by ruling party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski.   Jewish groups have called on the Polish authorities to condemn the message of banners with slogans […]

Specter of xenophobic chaos looming over South Africa again

Tensions between South Africans and foreigners rose again in Pretoria and parts of Johannesburg recently. Authorities say despite government pleas for peace, damage to property, acts of violence and looting continue to be reported in Pretoria. The Home Affairs minister spoke out Thursday to respond to reports from the Nigerian government claiming that 116 of […]

‘Poland – Birmingham’ Facebook Page Shows that Some Poles Need to Curb Their Prejudice

We have been notified of a Facebook page called ‘Poland – Birmingham‘ which highlights an area of growing concern for us. Over the last 4 years, we have not highlighted this issue since we have believed that a migrant community that has also suffered a great deal of prejudice and bigotry deserves support and no

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Europe’s current crisis reflects its own anxieties about Muslims

A footnote to Europe’s ongoing crisis is the rising use of anti-Muslim rhetoric. Hungary’s nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orbán, defended the erecting of a razor-wire fence on its southern border through the language of cultural and religious difference. Orbán stated that “most of them are not Christians, but Muslims,” and that “Europe and European identity is rooted in Christianity. Is it not worrying in itself that European Christianity is now barely able to keep Europe Christian?” Antal Rogan, the parliament caucus leader of Orbán’s Fidesz party, said on Tuesday that “the very existence of Christian Europe” was at stake. Rogan also told the pro-government newspaper Magyar Idok “Would we like our grandchildren to grow up in a United European Caliphate? My answer to that is no”. Ivan Metik, a spokesperson for Slovakia’s interior ministry spokesman said last month: “We want to help Europe with the migration issue. We could take 800 Muslims but we don’t have any mosques in Slovakia so how can Muslims be integrated if they are not going to like it here?” In July, Slovakia’s prime minister, Robert Fico, argued that Christians would cause less tension. He added that terrorists might attempt to mingle among Muslim refugees. [...]

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