ADL Urges Poland to Reconsider Anti-Semitism Ruling; Football Fans Chant ‘To the Gas’
by Joshua Levitt
The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday called on the Polish government to reconsider a ruling by a municipal prosecutor who decided not to press criminal charges against football fans who yelled anti-Semitic insults, illegal under Polish law.
ADL National Director Abraham Foxman wrote to Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski to reconsider the decision by Poznan municipal prosecutor Monika Rutkowska.
According to reports, Lech Poznan fans were heard chanting, “Move on, Jews!”, “Your home is at Auschwitz!”, and “To the gas!” during a match against the Widzew Lodz team last September.
Explaining the ruling, reports said that Rutkowska’s decision was based on the argument that the offensive comments were directed at the Widzew Lodz players, not specifically at Jews, and were made in the context of a sporting event, rather than a discussion of political or social issues.
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“Ms. Rutkowska’s twisted reasoning cannot stand,” Foxman said. “Anti-Semitic incitement is illegal in Poland, and these chants are clearly anti-Semitic.”
“Responsible government officials must rectify this absurd decision and ensure that those who chose to insult the memory of the victims of the Holocaust are held responsible for their pernicious and illegal actions,” he said.
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