Hate crimes rising in Europe
Pastor Dale Morgan
Hate crimes rising in Europe*
Ewen MacAskill in Washington
Tuesday June 5, 2007
Guardian Unlimited
Hate crimes have increased sharply over the last decade throughout
Europe, according to a lengthy report by a US-based human rights group.
The 2007 Hate Crime Survey by Human Rights First, out tomorrow, records
a rising tide of attacks against Muslims, Jews, gays and lesbians.
It notes rises in recent years in the UK, France, Germany, the Russian
Federation and Ukraine. "In France, Germany, and the United Kingdom,
governments have made serious efforts to combat hate crimes in recent
years, although more needs to be done," the report says.
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Human Rights First, which is based in New York and Washington, adds that
there was a dramatic rise in racist and religiously-motivated violence
in the UK after the London bombings in 2005.
"Overall, in 2006, hate crimes in the United Kingdom continued at a
historically high rate."
On attacks on Jews, it says: "Anti-semitism, a particularly pernicious
form of racism and religious intolerance, has persisted at a high level
throughout Europe and North America, while tending to surge in response
to international events involving Israel."
Anti-semitic incidents in the UK in 2006 rose dramatically, with the
highest annual toll since the collection of statistics began in 1984.
Muslims too have suffered according to the data. "In 2006,
discrimination and violence against Muslims persisted throughout much of
Europe. Though the number of registered incidents decreased from a peak
level in 2005, after the subway bombings in London, the number of
violent incidents remains high."