German minister blames far-right for rise in anti-Semitic crimes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced Wednesday that anti-Semitic attacks rose by 13 percent from 2018-2019, blaming far right extremism.
German police forces reported over 2,000 anti-Semitic offenses in 2019.
According to the Ministry of Interior, 2019’s figures are the highest number in attacks recorded since statistical reporting began in 2001.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}UKRAINIAN POLICE INVESTIGATING SENIOR OFFICIAL’S REQUEST FOR LIST OF JEWS IN CITY AFTER CRIES OF ANTI-SEMITISM
Overall, politically motivated crimes were up 14 percent. “The greatest threat remains [from] right-wing extremism," Seehofer said in a tweet Wednesday.
The findings also noted that over 93 percent of anti-Semitic crimes were perpetrated by right-wing extremists. Anti-Islam crimes were similarly high, with about 90 percent of the attacks attributed to far-right radicals.
“Anti-Semitism has become commonplace for Jews in Germany,” said Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews Wednesday.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Unrestrained hatred strikes us. But also on the streets and in schools the rejection of Jews is a massive problem.”
Schuster also said that intolerance is still on the rise in Germany, suggesting the right-wing extremist attacks will likely increase in 2020 and that the coronavirus has amplified prejudices.
“We are again facing massive anti-Semitism this year,” Schuster said in Wednesday’s statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“Supporters of conspiracy myths and opponents of the measures against the pandemic do not even shy away from relativizing the Holocaust.”
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German police crime statistics show that overall crime is down, even as politically motivated crimes have increased.
"With 5.3 million crimes, we see a significant decrease in crimes while the population grows," Seehofer said in Wednesday’s press conference.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But officials remain concerned about rising levels of right-wing extremism.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addressed the worrying levels of anti-Semitism globally, earlier this year.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“New York City saw a 21 percent rise in anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2019,” Guterres said in a Holocaust Remembrance Ceremony.
The United Kingdom also had a record high, with 16 percent increase in anti-Semitic attacks, while France saw a staggering 74 percent increase, according to the secretary-general.
“Special attention must be paid to growing right-wing extremism,” said Schuster Wednesday.