2023-10-22 11:50:43
From October 7th to October 19th, 2023, 76 anti-Semitic incidents were reported as a result of the Hamas massacre – an increase of 300% compared to the average of reported incidents in 2022.
Vienna (OTS) – A direct consequence of the massacres on October 7, 2023, when terrorists from the Gaza Strip literally slaughtered more than 1,400 people in Israel and abducted more than 200 people and continued to fire thousands of rockets at Israel, were anti-Semitic and terror-glorifying reactions in Austria too. For this reason, the anti-Semitism reporting center of the Jewish Community of Vienna (IKG) carried out a special evaluation for the period between October 7th and 19th, 2023. Only those incidents that might be verified in this short time were counted.
The result: A total of 76 anti-Semitic incidents were reported in the first 13 days since the start of the war. “Compared to the incidents reported throughout 2022, this corresponds to an increase of 300 percent,” summarizes IKG Secretary General and Head of the Reporting Office Benjamin Nägele. Examples of anti-Semitic incidents include the breaking of a kosher grocery store window, where a young man shouted a phrase in Arabic and ran away. Reports are also increasing from schools. Among other things, there were three cases in public schools in which Jewish schoolchildren were intimidated by peers who glorified terror. There were repeated anti-Semitic insults on social networks, even outside of the school context. In addition, there were hate messages that relativized or even glorified the Shoah, both online and offline. Incidents from October 20, 2023, such as the Israeli flag being torn down in front of the IKG building on the night from Friday to Saturday, were not included in these statistics. Unfortunately, it can be assumed that the number of unreported cases is high.
As frightening as this development may sound, the community is resisting it through its security work, cooperation with the security authorities, but also by continuing everyday life in Jewish schools, synagogues and other Jewish institutions as well as by planning further youth and cultural events Nagele. The experts at the reporting office are on duty every day to process reports. Those affected are supported, for example through advice before filing a complaint, referral to experts from ESRA, the IKG’s psychosocial center, intervention with operators of social networks or intervention in schools if Jewish children or their friends are subjected to anti-Semitic insults or harassment. In this context, Nägele points out the important principles of the reporting office: “Every person reporting receives free advice and decides for themselves what further steps to take.”
It should be explicitly noted that it is possible to file a report at any police station, regardless of the report to the anti-Semitism reporting center. Filing a report serves the purpose of further criminal prosecution.
Reports of anti-Semitic incidents can be found on www.antisemitismus-meldestelle.at be delivered.
Questions & Contact:
Jewish Community of Vienna
Communications Department
b.earth@ikg-wien.at
1697977845
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