Vandals spray swastikas on Jewish gravestones in England

[Nestea]

LONDON - Vandals have sprayed swastikas and other Nazi insignia on 15 gravestones at a Jewish cemetery in southern England, police said Wednesday.

They said the anti-Semitic graffiti had appeared on the gravestones in Aldershot, Hampshire, over the past month.

"This is about the lowest thing anybody can do," Police Constable Andy Gardiner of Hampshire police said. "Any sort of vandalism would be bad enough but to put symbols like these on Jewish graves is a despicable act."

As well as swastikas, the vandals had sprayed SS on some of the graves - a reference to the Schutzstaffel, a paramilitary unit of the Nazi party.

More here:

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/502986.html

[Nestea]

1. bump

more anti-semitism.

it's spreading.

[Scurrilous]

2. Yep...

Probe links between swastikas at synagogue and neo-fascist websites

http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=11645

Three Jewish sites in Dublin targeted late over the weekend, with swastikas daubed on a synagogue, a museum and a cemetery.

<snip>

"Irish Police are investigating links between an Irish neo-fascist website and an upsurge in anti-semitism in Dublin, "The Guardian" reported on Sunday.

Three Jewish sites in the Irish capital were targeted late Thursday night or early Friday morning, with swastikas daubed on a synagogue, a museum and a cemetery.

Detectives are now exploring if there are any connections between the anti-semitic incidents and the Stormfront Ireland discussion forum, which is part of the Stormfront/White Pride-World Wide internet site.

Jewish leaders in the city said the vandalism was unprecedented in modern times. A swastika was sprayed in black paint on the wall of the Irish Jewish Museum and Heritage Centre at Portobello. The museum's curator, Raphael Siev, who was opening up the centre for a school party visit from Glasnevin discovered it."

[Nestea]

3. Disgusting

People have no shame.

Just once I would like to see CAIR and the Arab-American Anti Discrimination Committee condemn acts like these.

The ADL condemns anti-Arab and anti-Muslim crimes.

[riverwalker]

4. why is this LBN?

[Nestea]

5. Because it's latest Breaking news

It happened less than 12 hours ago when I posted it, and it's not an editorial or cartoon.

Whassa matta? Don't wanna talk about anti-semitism?

Think over why you posted in this thread. It was quite rude for you to post something like that into a thread like this.

[nodehopper]

7. because it's late, breaking and news. got a problem?

[wicket]

6. horrible :(

:(

[ashiebr]

8. Yes but one simple twat...

...and 15 gravestones is not exactly headline material and hardly indicative of spreading anti-Semitism in the UK.

It's probably some tosser who knows no better.

[Nestea]

13. I think it's indicative-

indicative of spreading anti-semitism worldwide.

Go to www.adl.org for more specific stats about the rise of anti-semitism in the past decade.

[AlienGirl]

14. Something I am worried about...

Disclaimer: I am easily frightened and PROBABLY just paranoid.

But given how the war in Iraq was said by both sides to be in Israel's interests (something I don't believe), if the war starts to go really badly, will there be an anti-Jewish backlash?

Tucker

[Nestea]

16. I think the war already is going really badly

And to answer your question, yes, I think the war is having a huge impact already. I think the war is directly responsible for at least 70% of the increase in anti-semitic crimes over the past couple of years.

It doesn't help when people throw around words like Likud and neocon together.

Yes, there are neocons, and no, I don't agree with them, and yes, some are Jewish, but neocon does not equal Jew.

Regardless of how you feel on the I/P situation, I am disappointed that some DUers feel that this is not worthy of latest breaking news, while Bush pardoning a turkey somehow is.

And I'm not Jewish. I'm just reminded of the Niemoller poem:

They came for the Communists, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't

a Communist;

They came for the Socialists, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't a Socialist;

They came for the labor leaders, and I

didn't object - For I wasn't a labor leader;

They came for the Jews, and I didn't

object - For I wasn't a Jew;

Then they came for me -

And there was no one left to object.

Martin Niemoller, German Protestant Pastor,

1892-1984

[NorthernSpy]

42. puhleeze

Yes, there are neocons, and no, I don't agree with them, and yes, some are Jewish, but neocon does not equal Jew.

You're telling us?

Actually, it's the very people who emit these loud yelps about supposed "anti-semitism" on the Left for whom "neocon equals Jew". Every time we bash neocons, and every time we talk candidly about Israel, they promptly accuse us of reeeeally meaning to bash Jews. We aren't asserting these equivalences: they are.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ashiebr]

19. Oh pooey....

...it's just paranoia. let's face it you get called anti-Semitic these days for claiming it rains in Israel.

There is certainly more anti-Israeli sentiment about (understandably), but IMHO, less anti-Semitism.

[Nestea]

22. Bullshit

Do you think that this is not anti-semitism?

And if this vandalism is based on anti-Israel feelings, then it makes it even worse. These dead people have nothing to do with the decisions the Israeli government makes. They're dead. Let them rest in peace goddamnit.

I can't believe this shit.

By the way, how many Nazis is Brazil still hiding in Sao Paulo?

[Andromeda]

38. I guess what happened in Poland...

in WWII was just paranoia too. Maybe the death camps were really a vacation resort.

There is more anti-Semitism now as well as a wide spread dislike for Israel. The two seem to go hand in hand. You can't really separate the two.

[JudyM]

57. You may want to read about what's happening in Europe. It is becoming

a serious problem. Like the growth of fundies here, except that there's actual violence involved, rather than nonphysical bad acts. So as scary as the fundies are to us in the spread of their poisonous views, try to imagine what it's like for Jews to see growing hatred all around you -- as a REAL minority, not a 48% minority. Check it out - it's unreal.

[whosinpower]

9. This brings back another scandal...

regarding toppling over headstones in a jewish cemetary....TURNS OUT IT WAS A JEWISH BOY THAT DID IT!!!!!

That story was quickly buried.

[rooboy]

10. There also was the woman in Paris...

who claimed she was the victim of an anti-Semitic attack by arabs, which turned out to be fabricated.

Not belittling the crime, but it has become prudent to await more facts in these cases. Too many agents of bigotry and disinformation about.

[AlienGirl]

11. "The story was quicky buried"?

By whom? And why?

Tucker (seems to remember the story not being buried, just being reported as having been "in error")

[sakabatou]

12. Before we can do anything else...

we need to know who did this and why. Maybe send them to Iraq (if old enough) or military school for punishment?

[DuaneBidoux]

15. Face it guys-fascism is on the rise everywhere.

[kwolf68]

17. Late Breaking News

(AP) The wife of John Ashcroft has filed a missing person report with local authorities. The only details she could provide were that Mr. Ashcroft had purchased a ticket to England.

[Nestea]

18. Not very funny

Care to show some proof that he's an anti-semite?


I can't stand John Ashcroft but I've never heard him say anything remotely anti-semitic.

I think your post distracts from the real message of this article.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Danmel]

21. Oh please - stop making excuses for bigots.

I saw anti semitic graffiti on the street in my neighborhood on Long Island. Someone painted a swastika in the middle on an intersection in a residential area that is pretty Jewish. Yeah, it was probably just a kid who is an asshole, but it was still very disturbing. Hate is hate. Why is OK to hate Jews and Catholics? If we are truly progressive people, we should protest hate wherever it is, not rationalize it, excuse it or make jokes about it. Would it be OK to you to paint pink triangles on gay clubs? How about burning crosses in black neighborhoods? I suspect you wouldn't find that funny or make excuses for it or wait for further confirmation.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Danmel]

24. The woman who faked tha attack in Paris wasn't Jewish

Do you really think Jews sprayed swastikas on gravestones??

[OutsourceBush]

27. I don't know who did it do you?

No you don't.

[rman]

30. so she got payed

Wouldn't that be a first, people lying for money.

I think there are vandals living in Israel.

Right-wing Israel systematically uses anti-semitism as an excuse to get away with violations of Human Rights, international law and UN sanctions.
So (RW) Israel stands to gain from anti-semitism.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[OutsourceBush]

26. Name calling is against DU board rules, you should know that

[nodehopper]

36. I call a (possible) spade a (possible) spade when I see one.

[nodehopper]

66. if people don't want to be called anti-semitic they should act accordingly

[flying_blind]

29. As often as not these dayz...

the anti intellectual

often OUTRIGHT LIE

that a person is anti semitic

is tossed around in a TRULY LAME atttempt to dumb down the FACT

that we as a nation support and fund apartheid in Israel.

Israel is the world's little shop of policy horrors

and ANYONE who thinks our fawning support and adoption of their racist land stealing tactics is not the cause of "terror" is, quite simply, a dumbass.

It is striking that more Israelis are pissed off about their gubmint proportionally speaking than there are Amerikkkans who are even conversant on the issue. Why has our media and conventional wisomd been hijacked? Why is Iraq our own personal Palestine? All for Israel if one believes Phillip Zelikow...
http://ipsnews.net/interna.asp?idnews=23083

Regards,

[Komrade _azul]

31. Begging to differ...

and although our policy with Israel is in need of desperate overhaul its relations with the Palestinian people is a model of moderation when compared with the whole scale slaughter occurring elsewhere in the world, the Sudan and Zimbabwe in particular. It may be pointed out that Israel even has Palestinians in the Knesset, their version of parliament.
Not to be a defender of Israeli policy, but racism is never justified even by those who claim victim status.

[NorthernSpy]

40. but Israel does its dirt on OUR dime

That's the difference.

We've BOUGHT the right to say anything we damn please about America's violent little charity case.

[nodehopper]

37. I am a Jew who strongly opposeses the illegal Israeli occupation

but that does not mean I am going to tolerate sneaky subtle anti-Semitism like responding to a news story about such vandalism in a way that immediately doubts its credibility.

[Nestea]

47. You shouldn't have to

While I have no problem with criticism of Israel, I do have a problem with anti-semitism, and too many on this board are willing to turn a blind eye because they just don't giveeeeee a shitt.

[nodehopper]

56. I couldn't agree more.

That is what I was trying to call attention to here.

[Nestea]

59. Yeah

The left has a problem.

We have some lefties who are anti-semitic. They just are.

[nodehopper]

65. the left is far from perfect

there are plenty of lefties who are anti-semitic and homophobic (especially rampant among a certain type of white "radicalized" young men. Who incidentally don't let women talk at meetings while refusing to reflect on whether they are perpetuating certain problematic gender structures. I think a large part of the problem is that "the left" gives people a reified kind of identity where they won't engage in an honest self-critique, because "we are Left, how can we be prejudiced? we are Against prejudice!"

[sherilocks]

60. Get a grip

This is not an article about Israel. It's a story about possible anti-semitic activity in the UK and about hatred toward a particular group of people.

[JudyM]

61. "land stealing tactics?" check your history before swallowing whole

[Just Me]

28. Prolly best friends of Paul Weyrich and Falwell,...

,...who EMBRACE the new fascist Bush regime right here in the USA!!! By the way, in case you didn't know,...Paul Weyrich and Falwell both cross paths with the worst of anti-semites,...and the Bush family financed Hitler!!!!

Pick both your friends and enemies, carefully. Friendships are NEVER built upon M-O-N-E-Y.

[Danmel]

32. Threads like these made me wait almost a year to register here and make me

You know, I lurked here for a long time and was often disturbed by the anti semitic tone of many of these threads. And son't lecture me about Zionism and Anti Semitism, I know the difference.

Why so many theoretically progressive people think anti Semitism is just fine amazes me continuously. Jews are among the most progressive people in this country- we support progressive causes, we vote overwhelmingly democratic, it just is too much. Bigotry is bigotry. It is not something we as liberal people should be espousing.

I don't know why I bother sometimes, I really don't.

[Behind the Aegis]

53. Why bother?

I am assuming you are also a Jew. Because it is our responsibility to educate others! We must stand up and be heard! We must educate those who have latent anti-Semitic feelings. It is hard and discouraging, at times, but it is needed! Don't focus on the hate too much, look for the light in others!

:)

[riverwalker]

33. Graveyard vandalism is disgusting

and is rampant. There are hundreds of stories every day in the news of vandalism and graffiti in Christian cemeteries, Jewish graves, Muslim graves, and secular graves. Hundreds of stories.
That said, it is hard to get in an uproar about tipped over tombstones on a day when we have just read about the corpses of Iraqi children in Falluja being eaten by dogs because their families are not allowed to gather the bodies.
If that makes me rude, so be it. IMHO (and I am allowed to have one)this is not "Late Breaking News" for DU. Maybe it is for the ADL page you promote, but not on DU.

[Nestea]

34. Bullshit

It's international news, and it was less than 12 hrs old when I posted it.

I think there's an anti-semitic tinge here.

[flying_blind]

44. "anti-semitic tinge" here?

I think that - lemme be Clear about this one more time -

that such claims are LAME & ANTI INTELLECTUAL

Frankly I do think desecration of graves is a big deal. Despicable in any regard.

But the claims about rising worldwide anti semitisim our lying fucking mainstream media give us are just SUCH BULLSHIT.

Were the claims indeed true, even then the collective consciousness of Amerikkkan dumbasshood would still scratch its noggin and wonder why, all the while rubber stamping APARTHEID.

USA =world cops for anti-semitism? That firends is UNAMERICAN but it is the LAW now.
Bush signs global anti-Semitism law
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=30900

Presbyterians in trouble for advocating a boycott of the apartheid practices of the nazisraelis? You bet:
http://www.boycottwatch.org/abi/divest002.htm

Amerikkkan media misrepresenting the facts on the ground in the apartheid state of Israel? As a rule, ALWAYS:
http://www.ifamericansknew.org/media/

[AlienGirl]

54. How is recognizing antisemitism "anti-intellectual"?

Please explain.

Tucker

[rinsd]

52. Really...

Are those things covered up by DU?

DU ignores stories dealing with racsim, the carnage in Iraq etc?

And if you have hundreds of stories of graveyards vandalism let's see 'em. It's a disgusting act no matter who it is perpatrated upon.

Edit: A quick google search reveals much graveyard vandalism but not much of it, religiously or racially motivated. It doesn't make it less of crime of course.


http://news.google.com/news?q=graveyard%20vandalism&hl=en&lr=&sa=N&tab=wn

Your hostility to the mere placement of this in LBN is quite telling.

[geek tragedy]

35. Wow, like flies to crap they come.

Waiting for the first "Mossad false flag" allegation.

[AlienGirl]

39. Look up-thread a little...

It's there.

Tucker

[Englander]

41. " appeared , over the past month"

So,not LBN.
Here is the BBC local news page for Hampshire,no mention.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/default.stm

Yes,gravestones are attacked,here's one from last year;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/dorset/3054141.stm

And one from last month;
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3675116

"Muslim Graves Smashed in Teenagers' Rampage, Court Told

The three teenagers, aged 17, 15 and 14, from east London, entered Charlton Cemetery in south London on March 17 of this year and damaged 47 Muslim graves, it was claimed."

[JSJ]

43. round up the zionist provocateurs- the guilty will be among them

[Boosterman]

45. Guys you dont understand

the "bigotry" you are seeing here is justified. After all they are on the other side. If you arent with us you are against us. /endsarcasm

[Nestea]

48. Yeah

F the Jews.

They deserve everything they get.

Fucking idiots who did this. I hope they get thrown in jail for a long time.

[Malva Zebrina]

49. well, it hasn't come to spraying the grave marker of Matthew Shepard

and others who died/murdered that were gay, but the Rev. Phelps sees to it that his posters saying "God hates fags" are pictured in the news regularly. No doubt there is as much hatred of homosexuals in this country as there would be bigotry toward Jews.

Homosexuals suffered also under Hitler, while initially accepted as warriors for the party. Ernst Rohm, head of the brown shirts, was a known homosexual who did not try to hide his homosexuality.

When he and his followers became an embarrassment to the party, Hitler ordered they all be "purged" and they did not get purged alive. Some 2000 of them were annhiliated almost at once. I think it was called the "night of the long knives" where they were rounded up and executed on the spot. Rohm faced Hitler himself, who held a pistol in his hand aimed at Rohm's head, but it was not until the following day, actually, that Rohm was executed with a bullet to the head.

Hatred and bigotry will take off under Bush also.

[Moloch]

50. This is very troubling....

I hope people stop lumping those of us with legitimate grevances with Isreal to the despicable trash that defaces graves.

[JudyM]

63. That'd be way better, but some folks here blend their view of Israel's

policies with smearing vitriol against Jews, often thinly-veiled bigotry. Just my opinion.

[BraveDave]

51. IMO,

Hate is hate. Whether it be spray painted gravestones or messages posted on political websites.

Quite a bit of hypocrisy between this thread and many others I have read around here.

[gottaB]

55. Scapegoats & Swastikas

Scapegoats & Swastikas

I didn't know about the history of the Yellow Badge going back that far.

Why is this happening now?

[JudyM]

62. Good quote from your article

What's left unsaid in all the carefully guarded, rhetorically sanitised eulogies for Arafat, with whom $300 million seems to have been spirited away from the Palestinian nation he claimed to cherish, is how he never gave up the aspiration that its surplus Jews would leave or be driven out of his one-state Palestine. When the swastika drips again from a Dublin wall, this only shows how ineradicable is this desire to bring back ethnic cleansing in the name of an ideology, and how committed Arafat and his cheerleaders across our fragile planet are to bringing about another Judenrein--not never, but once, again.

[gottaB]

64. I'm not one to either villify or celebrate Arafat myself

As far as antisemitic ideologues go, Arafat was not the worst. Probably Ó Murchú recognizes that too. If Arafat's death is part of the backdrop for these recent attacks, then that does I think compel those on the left to consider whether they will tolerate and effectively promote antisemitism, or whether they will denounce it in all of its various manifestations.

A lot of people seem to have their heads in the sands about this. I attribute that to ignorance for the most part.

[sherilocks]

58. I used to live in Hampshire County, not far from

Aldershot. My kids went to the UK equivalent of a public school and they were given Bible studies for an hour a day. I dropped by the head Rabbi in London and asked him how the Jewish community in the UK handled this. He poo-pooed my concerns and said that it didn't bother them. Well, it bothered me. I pulled my kids out of public school and sent them to an American school.

I am not surprised that there were no local news accounts of this vandalism. The average citizens in the south of England, are an insular lot and don't particular like foreigners or Jews. Every week or so I would meet for tea with a number of ex-pats from all over the world. It was like a group therapy session. The instances of bigotry to all of us were the topic of discussion for most of our tea.

[Moderator]

67. Locking

Too many flames and personal attacks.