ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 The text may be used only with a prior permission of the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic. Released by the Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Republic. Photo on the front page: the station Teplice, September 2015 Have you become a victim or witness of an anti-Semitic incident? Do not keep it to yourself and let us know. Contact e-mail address: [email protected] 2 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 YOUR MONEY THEIR BOMBS! http://www.svobodnyodpor.info/post/119434932651/fuck-izrael-va%C5%A1e-pen%C3%ADze-jejich-bomby, 20. 5. 2015 3 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 CONTENT 1. SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION IN 2015 5 2. 2015 IN NUMBERS 6 Incidents 2015 6 Comparison of all categories of anti-Semitic incidents from 2008 to 2015 6 Development of anti-Semitism during 2015 6 Overview of all categories of anti-Semitic incidents during 2015 6 3. INTRODUCTION 7 Purpose of the Report 7 Metodology and terminology 7 Definition of anti-Semitism 8 4. TRENDS IN 2015 10 5. CATEGORIES OF ANTI-SEMITIC INCIDENTS 13 Physical attacks on people and property 13 Threats and harassment 15 Anti-Semitic texts, images and videos 17 6. MANIFESTATIONS OF ANTI-SEMITISM 19 7. ATTACHMENT 20 List of anti-Semitic incidents in 2015 20 4 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 1. SUMMARY OF THE SITUATION IN 2015 The Federation of Jewish Communities in the Czech Traditionally, most anti-Semitic posts appear on the Republic (FJC) in 2015 recorded a total of 221 anti- sites of the extreme right and anti-liberal websites, Semitic incidents. This number is slightly lower which was the same case in 2015 too. The main topics than the result for the year 2014, when there were as in previous years included Holocaust denial and 234 anti-Semitic incidents, so the total number of conspiracy theories concerning Jewish domination anti-Semitic incidents did not significantly changed. and influence. Especially the conspiracy theories, It is likely that many cases of anti-Semitic motive mainly inspired by the immigration crisis, and remained unreported and that the number of such terrorist attacks that occured in 2015 in Europe, can incidents may actually be much higher than that trigger an increase in xenophobia and polarization given in the Report. of the Czech society. They are nurtured and misused by the extreme right-wing and anti-liberal groups More than one half of incidents in 2014 occurred in their own favor. Part of their anti-Islam and anti- during the military operation Protective Edge, immigration rhetoric is also created by anti-Semitic which took place in Israel and the Gaza Strip in the aspects propagated in large on the Internet. period between July and September. This operation was a trigger for anti-Semitic incidents. The year In 2015, the Federation also registered a rise in the 2015 brought similar numbers. However, the result number of newly issued anti-Semitic books and cannot be attributed only to one event as in 2014. pamphlets as The Protocols of Zion and Lectures on The distribution of incidents, compared with 2014, the Holocaust. Books are available on the websites was relatively even (see Chapter 2). Only in summer of the extreme right-wing groups. In two cases they there was a slight decrease mainly in the category were distributed directly at demonstrations of the of articles, images and videos on the Internet. National Democracy1 against Islam. The nature of incidents remains more or less similar However, in comparison to other countries in Central to previous years. They were recorded anti-Semitic and Western Europe the Czech Republic still letters and e-mails, verbal attacks, harassment near remains a safe country for the Jewish community. Jewish objects, desecration and vandalism. These The public has rather neutral relation to the data may differ from other institutions (Ministry of Jewish community.2 Anti-Semitic manifestations, Interior - MI, Policy of the Czech Republic – PCR) as demonstrated by this Report, are in most cases which consider manifestations of anti-Semitism limited to the Internet. only acts constituting a criminal offense. The Federation evaluates offenses under the working definition of anti-Semitism as defined by the FRA (see Chapter 3). Anti-Semitic hateful manifestations on the Internet constitute 82 % of all recorded incidents. It is thus the most common type of incident. In 2014 there was an increase of posts of the new anti-Semitism. The trend continued also in 2015, when some posts responded to the aftermath of the military operation Protective edge in summer 2014. Another part focused on the wave of violence in Israel in the fall 2015. Some other anti-Semitic reactions were evoked by the visit of Israeli President Rivlin or by Jerusalem Days Festival. The most common theme was blaming Israel‘s policy of apartheid and genocide. 1http://isgap.org/flashpoint/antisemitism-in-response-to-the-2015-refugee-wave-the-case-of-the-czech-republic/ 2http://cvvm.soc.cas.cz/media/com_form2content/documents/c1/a7352/f3/ov150306.pdf 5 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 2. 2015 IN NUMBERS Incidents 2015 Comparison of all categories of anti-Semitic incidents from 2018 to 2015 250 200 150 100 50 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Articles, websites, images, videos 182 Harrasment 31 Websites (articles, images, videos) Physical attacks on property 5 Harrasmment and threats Threats 3 Physical attacks on persons and property 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Comparison of all categories Physical attacks 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 of anti-Semitic incidents on a person from 2018 to 2015 Physical attacks 2 6 5 5 6 3 5 5 on property Threats 2 1 3 4 0 3 9 3 Harrasment 15 4 8 7 10 6 28 31 Articles, websites, 28 17 31 26 82 156 191 182 images and videos TOTAL 48 28 47 43 98 169 234 221 30 Development of 25 manifestation of anti- Semitism during 2015 20 15 10 5 0 July May June April March August October January February December November 6 September ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 3. INTRODUCTION METHODOLOGY AND TERMINOLOGY THE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT a. ON ANTI – SEMITISM IN THE The Report consists of several parts. The first one is information on recorded anti-Semitic CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 incidents and their commparison with previus years. The FJC considers such an act as anti- The annual report on anti-Semitisms in 2015 Semitic incident that is directed against persons (the Report) has been prepared by the Federation with Jewish selfidentification, members of the Jewish Communities (FJC) for internal needs Jewish community, Jewish property, for which of Jewish communities in the Czech Republic it is clear that the incident has anti-Semitic (CR), but also for the needs of other institutions motivation or the victim of the incident was processing the data on anti-Semitism. The intentionally selected for his/her Jewishness, Report aims to provide a comprehensive image even if it was (from the offender´s point of of anti-Semitism and social clima related to view) alleged one. Anti-Semitic incidents can anti-Semitism. The Report brings not only take various forms: attacks on property, physical the data from the last year, but also compares or verbal attacks. More detailed is categorization recorded manifestations of anti-Semitism with of individual anti-Semitic incidents written or the developments in previous years. physical articles described in the chartacter Caktegories of anti-Semitic Incidents. All incidents and manifestations described as anti- Semitic and listed bellow meet the definition of anti-Semitism. b. The Report contains only a general list of anti- Semitic incidents and texts. To protect victims and their security the details of incidents, which could enable identification, are intentionally omitted. c. The data used in the annual report come from several sources: from those who have become subjects to anti-Semitic incidents, from Czech Jewish organizations and communities, from published documents and analyzes of other organizations and state institutions, from open sources - both from the mainstream media and the websites of monitored organizations. The FJC monitors anti-Semitic incidents using the available data, so it is probable that most incidents were not announced either to the FJC or to the Police so they are not noticed3 in the Report. All evaluations included in the Report are based on the collected data. 3Např. FRA Antisemitism Update 2004-2014 7 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 ANNUAL REPORT ON ANTI - SEMITISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2015 DEFINITION OF ANTI-SEMITISM This Report is determined by the working de- 1.Calling for, aiding or justifying the killing finition of anti-Semitism processed in 2004 of Jews or serious harm of Jews in the name by the European Union Monitoring Centre of a radical ideology or an extremist view of on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC) and pu- religion; blished on the website of the succesor of the 4 EUMC the European Union Agency for Fun- 2.Making mendaciuos, dehumanizating, damental Rights - Fundamental Rights Agen- demonizating allegations, announcments cy (FRA).