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Saturday, July 24, 2021

Netherlands: Anti-Semitism and Homophobia in Rotterdam: Who Is Responsible?

Yesterday, we translated a Dutch article on homophobic incidents in Amsterdam. Today, we have a similar report on a study about homophobia and anti-Semitism in the Netherlands' 2nd-largest city, Rotterdam. As with Amsterdam, the victims report that a large percentage of the perpetrators are from non-Dutch, non-Western background, particularly Muslims and Moroccans. The below article appears in Barendrechtsdagblad and is translated by Fousesquawk.

https://barendrechtsdagblad.nl/Rotterdam%20&%20Regio/homo--en-jodenhaat-komt-vaak-uit-niet-westerse-hoek-

"Homo and Jew-hatred often come from non-Western quarters"

Caption below photo: Counselor Hoogwerf

23 July 2021, 00:24

Rotterdam and region, IJsselmonde News

As to anti-Semitism and discrimination against the LHBTIQ+ community, attackers often have a non-Western background. That is what the victims say in several investigations, writes Leefbar (Party) counselor Tanya Hoogwerf, who takes these reports seriously and still wants an accelerated investigation supported by Rotterdam.

Her first attempt was voted down on July 8 of this month. "The community council thus continues to look away from reality. To stop anti-Semitism and homophobia, a harder approach is required, and there must be a serious investigation into the opinions and backgrounds of the perpetrators of anti-Semitism and homo-discrimination," Hoogwerf emphasizes. 

"From the research, it shows that many Jewish residents of Rotterdam don't dare to wear a kippah and that they have little trust in the community approach to anti-Semitism."

"The investigations with reports about the perpetrators of homo-hate and Jew-hate are piling up," reports Hoogwerf in the name of the Leefbar faction of Rotterdam. "Lately, the report, 'Action Investigation Anti-Discrimination LHBTIQ+' appeared in Amsterdam, in which the investigators reported that they encountered similar characteristics in regards to the perpetrators. The report states,
'Through the respondents of the investigation, the perpetrators often were described as Amsterdammers with a non-Dutch background".

Will you stop looking away?

In addition, this year in Rotterdam, the report, "Openly Jew, but not always", appeared. From this investigation among Jewish Rotterdammers, it shows that the majority have the idea that the anti-Semitism that they and others experience comes mainly from Muslims. "Some respondents specifically name young Moroccan men as the group that most often expresses anti-Semitism in public."

"Europeans have also done investigations into the backgrounds of the perpetrators of anti-Semitism. In 2018, a large European investigation into anti-Semitism reported: Almost one-third (30%) reported that the perpetrator was someone with an (apparent) Islamist-extremist belief.  In 20% of the incidents, the perpetrator, according to the victim, was someone with a leftist political view. In 13% of the incidents, someone with a rightist political view, and in 5% of the incidents, someone with an extremist Christian view."

The letter to the Rotterdam city leadership ends with the question from Counselor  Hoogwerf: "Do you have a plan to stop looking away and engaging in symbolism politics, and will you finally get to work with a hard approach to homo-discrimination and anti-Semitism? And specifically concentrate on those who cause this terror?"



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