extremism
Sylt racism scandal: Investigations against three suspects
The Sylt video was shot at Pentecost in the Pony pub in Kampen. Photo
© Georg Wendt/dpa
After racist shouting in a bar on Sylt, the public prosecutor’s office is investigating three people. There is also a suspect in another case on Sylt.
After the racist shouting of several party guests in a bar on The Flensburg public prosecutor’s office is investigating a woman and two men in Sylt. This was confirmed by a spokesperson for the authority. The “Hamburger Abendblatt” previously reported.
The spokesman did not provide any further details about the individuals. Investigations are being carried out on suspicion of incitement, and one of the men is also being investigated on suspicion of using symbols of unconstitutional organizations. In another case, a man is being investigated in connection with an attack on a woman in Kampen, who is said to have previously been racially insulted.
In a video lasting just a few seconds, which is said to have been made at Pentecost, young people can be seen and heard shouting racist slogans to the tune of the party hit “L’amour toujours” by Gigi D’Agostino. They sing “Germany for the Germans – foreigners out!” One man makes a gesture that is reminiscent of the Hitler salute. The incident sparked outrage across the country.
Investigations also in Austria
Similar incidents have also been reported in Austria. Police authorities have announced that state security officers in the federal states of Carinthia and Lower Austria are investigating videos in which, as on the North Sea island, “Foreigners out” slogans were shouted to the melody of Gigi D’Agostino’s song “L’Amour toujours”.
Austria’s governing parties condemned these incidents. “We have a historic responsibility to clearly distance ourselves from such activities,” said Social and Health Minister Johannes Rauch of the Greens. “That is not acceptable, there must be no place for that,” said parliamentary group leader August Wöginger of the conservative chancellor party ÖVP. Extremist approaches must be resolutely opposed.
In the southern state of Carinthia, a bar owner in Klagenfurt confirmed that guests had started singing “L’Amour toujours” with racist lyrics at closing time on Shrove Monday. “Shortly afterwards I turned the music off, but they continued singing,” said the bar manager, who distanced himself from the roar. A second incident is being investigated in Carinthia, according to a police spokesman. The investigation in Lower Austria was triggered by a video in which people on a carnival float sang the scandalous song during a parade in the town of Mödling.