Anti-semitism in France

by Feòrag

A group of young French Jews has been attacked by several dozen assailants with metal bars at an anti-war demonstration in Paris last Saturday. The demonstration attracted 90, 000 people (police figure) and was otherwise peaceful. The mayor has condemned the attack.

In the name of Parisians, I want to condemn, as strongly as possible, these unacceptable acts, Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said in a statement. In Paris, everyone must be respected in dignity, no matter what their culture, identity or spiritual faith.

According the the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the attacks were more serious than reported in the press:

In separate incidents, two Jewish youths were hospitalized Saturday afternoon after being stabbed in Paris by individuals who had taken part in an anti-war demonstration. One young man was stabbed and lightly wounded after a group of men noticed his yarmulke. The attackers are believed to have been immigrants from North Africa. After stabbing the young man, they tried to break in to the Hashomer Hatzair [a Jewish youth group] building, but members of the youth group managed to block the entrance. Fifteen minutes later, a 24-year-old youth group advisor exited the building to address a television crew that had arrived to interview him. After exiting the building, he was seriously wounded when passers-by attacked him with metal rods and chains.

There has been a worrying number of anti-semitic attacks in France over the last two years and Jews are becoming afraid of wearing anything which indicates their Jewishness. Tensions in the Middle East have made the situation worse, especially when people have difficulty telling the difference between Jews and the current government of Israel - something to which the Simon Wiesenthal Center contributes with statements like this:

Of course we expect French police to do more to protect its Jewish students, but the ultimate responsibility for this horrific environment lays with the French media who turn a blind eye to Moslem extremists, while fanning the flames of intolerance against Israel and her supporters.

Paris Mayor Condemns Attack on Jews - The Guardian, 24th March 2003; WIESENTHAL CENTER: IN WAKE OF LATEST PEACE RALLY ATTACKS, FRENCH AUTHORITIES AND MEDIA MUST ACT TO END 'OPEN SEASON ON JEWS' - Simon Wiesenthal Center, 24th March 2003.