Number of anti-Semitic Incidents Down Significantly
APA, Wiener Zeitung, November 3, 2022
German original: https://www.wienerzeitung.at/nachrichten/chronik/oesterreich/2166712-Zahl-antisemitischer-Vorfaelle-deutlich-gesunken.html
From January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022, a total of 381 anti-Semitic incidents were reported to the Anti-Semitism Reporting Office of the Jewish Community Vienna (IKG). Compared to the same period of the previous year (562), this is a decrease of 32 percent. This decrease is mainly due to the decrease in anti-Semitic incidents related to Corona, according to a report published on Thursday. A higher number of unreported cases can be assumed.
At 219 reports, the majority of incidents involved "hurtful behavior," followed by 82 mass letters, 61 reports of property damage, 12 threats and seven attacks. Most incidents were reported in January (91), after which the number dropped to between 50 and 60 reports per month. The number flared up again in May (72) which the report said was due to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
Of the 381 reported incidents, 66 were related to the Covid 19 pandemic. Ninety-six involved Shoah relativization, 123 times Israel-related anti-Semitism, and 56 times anti-Semitic conspiracy myths prompted a report to the ICG.
More right-wing than left-wing incidents
316 cases could be clearly assigned ideologically, according to the report. More than half (201) of the incidents had come from the political right, 81 from the "left," and 34 were "Muslim." Muslim-motivated perpetrators predominated, especially in the case of attacks and threats, while discrimination from the right prevailed in the case of damage to property and hurtful behavior.
"The decrease in the total number of reported incidents is encouraging. However, a closer look reveals particular problems, as the number of threats and physical assaults remains at the high level of the previous year. However, we now see that the center of society is taking the threat of anti-Semitism seriously and is providing important impetus to reverse the trend. Therefore, we will continue to work with all partners in civil society, authorities and politics to further push back anti-Semitism in Austria," commented IKG President Oskar Deutsch on the report.
Benjamin Nägele, Head of the Reporting Office and Secretary General of the IKG Vienna, assesses the lower number of reported attacks as a result of political measures. However, the overrepresentation of verbal and physical assaults against - as Jewish recognizable - children and young people is still conspicuous and disturbing. (apa)