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Muslims targeted as racist violence rises in Europe
The annual ECRI report covering January-December 2009 was announced yesterday and examined the main trends in the fields of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, anti-Semitism and intolerance in Europe. An economic crisis accompanied by uncertainty in many European countries has contributed to the increase of racial violence, according to the ECRI. One of the main findings of the ECRI report underlines that Muslims continue to be discriminated against in employment, law enforcement, town planning, immigration and education, and that they were lately targeted by specific legal restrictions.
ECRI Chair Nils Muiznieks announced he was alarmed by the general rise in racist violence in Europe. “In the last year there has been a hardening of the immigration debate and a rise in xenophobic and intolerant attitudes in general, including virulent verbal attacks and violent incidents,” he said.
In the report, the ECRI expressed its concern about the effects of the economic crisis on vulnerable groups -- in particular the rise in unemployment and cuts to social services. The negative climate of public opinion, fuelled by increasingly xenophobic political speech, has led to immigrants being held responsible for unemployment and the deterioration of security.
The annual report frequently criticized in its pages politicians who used anti-immigration and anti-Islam rhetoric for electoral purposes. The ECRI strongly makes the point on human rights abuses while combating terrorism. “Other issues of concern for the ECRI are the persistence of the widespread police practice of racial profiling, abuses in the fight against terrorism and police brutality against vulnerable groups,” said the ECRI in a written statement on the occasion of the publication of its annual report.
The main topics the ECRI has highlighted are as follows:
Roma and Travelers continue to experience open hostility and social exclusion, as well as raids against their settlements and murders.
Anti-black racism persists in Europe, often translated into attacks against this community, and color-related insults are frequent at sports events.
Muslims continue to be discriminated against in employment, law enforcement, town planning, immigration and education, and lately they have been targeted by specific legal restrictions. States need to do more to encourage tolerance of religious diversity.
Anti-Semitism persists in Europe. Attacks on synagogues and Jewish cemeteries and Holocaust denial continue to be issues of concern.
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