crime
Central Council President: Stricter penalties against anti-Semitism
The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany Josef Schuster (l) and Alexander Dobrindt, CSU regional group leader, give a press statement together. photo
© Peter Kneffel/dpa
Can increasing anti-Semitism in Germany be brought under control through more education? No, says Josef Schuster. He also relies on more deterrence – and finds an ally in the CSU.
The President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, has spoken out in favor of stricter punishment for anti-Semitism. “Education is important, but it is just as important that you have a deterrent,” said Schuster at the retreat of CSU members of the Bundestag in Seeon Monastery. He believes that stricter punishments are urgently necessary.
Schuster expressly welcomed the list of demands presented by the CSU state group. It stipulates that incitement against the State of Israel should be punished with a prison sentence of at least six months. To this end, anti-Semitism must be classified as a particularly serious case of incitement to hatred in the criminal code.
Praise for the CSU catalog
He considers the catalog to be “extremely successful,” said Schuster. “I can imagine that harsher penalties will act as a deterrent.” It is possible that one or other perpetrator would laugh at a sentence of six months probation. “But probation also means that if he commits a repeat offense he won’t get away with a black eye.”
It depresses him that this topic has to be talked about like this today. Even ten years ago he could not have imagined this, said Schuster. He also criticized courts for some of their rulings. “When I sometimes see verdicts where, in the case of anti-Semitic crimes, reference is made to the difficult childhood, possibly to an escape experience, and all of this is a mitigating factor in the sentence, then I have to ask myself whether this is really being weighed up as necessary.”
Schuster said he sees the greater threat in the right-wing extremist camp. There is also an additional problem caused by migrants of Arab and Turkish origin. “And the whole thing multiplies.”
Dobrindt: Anti-Semitism is very strong on the streets
CSU regional group leader Alexander Dobrindt said that it had become apparent “that anti-Semitism has unfortunately found its way back onto German streets.” This is a problem for right-wing radicals, but also “an immigrant problem” in the migrant milieu. “It’s depressing to see what has happened over the past few months.” The tightening of the law is necessary “to give this clear signal that Germany stands unwaveringly on the side of the Jews.”
The CSU therefore also wants to ensure that foreigners who commit anti-Semitic offenses are deported. Migrants convicted of an anti-Semitic crime would have to lose their protection status in Germany. Dual nationals who commit anti-Semitic offenses should have their German passport revoked. Advertising sympathy for terrorist organizations should be criminalized again. This also applies to participation in a hostile, anti-Semitic crowd.