Discrimination based on race or ethnicity - Increased reports of racist incidents emerge following Sylt video.
Recent gatherings across Germany have seen an increase in racist behavior, with reported instances including parties in Sylt, Lower Saxony, Shanghai-Anhalt, and Hamburg. Outbursts of "Ausländer raus" and "Deutschland den Deutschen" have become common during events, with xenophobic songs like "L'amour toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino being used to strengthen hateful rhetoric.
A controversy arose recently due to a video capturing racist events during a Sylt party, where guests were caught belting out anti-immigrant chants to the tune of D'Agostino's hit. The State Protection Department of the police is now investigating, leading to the termination of jobs for at least two of the identified individuals.
In Lower Saxony, reports suggest that attendees of a multi-day event in Altendorf chanted racist phrases to the same song. The state police's State Protection Department is seeking witnesses to the incident. The "Braunschweiger Zeitung" released earlier reports of similar occurrences at a Löningen shooting festival.
A similar occurrence took place during the Schlagermove party parade in Hamburg on Saturday, with jubilant participants blaring chants and delivering Nazi salutes. The State Criminal Office for State Protection Affairs has taken up the investigation.
In Saxony-Anhalt, several police stations are looking into racist activities related to this song, with the Burgenlandkreis Police stating the occurrence of the tune at the Leißlinger Eierbetteln festival in Weißenfels. Legal action is being taken for incitement to hatred, according to a police spokesperson. Further incidents were reported in Magdeburg and Halle.
In Schleswig-Holstein, minors were overheard singing racist chants at a Louisenlund boarding school party. School authorities were quick to act, stopping the party and sending the students to bed. Furthermore, an inspection by the school supervision is forthcoming.
Due to the potential legal implications, the organizers of Munich's Oktoberfest may prohibit D'Agostino's "L'amour toujours" from being performed, believing there is no place for right-wing extremism on their grounds. The song, while not intrinsically radical, has gained a sinister connotation due to its abuse. Similar measures are said to be considered for the Stuttgart fan zone during the European Football Championship and at the Cannstatter Volksfest in the fall.
However, Kiel Week organizers see no legal cause for a ban, with event chief Philipp Dornberger stating that operators of party and music stages should be informed of this.
This alarming trend is becoming all too common at festivals, exposing a deeply ingrained prejudice issue in Germany. Songs like "L'amour toujours" are seemingly being used as a vehicle for spreading harmful messages. Airlines accountable for these incidents should prioritize raising awareness about such behavior and taking swift action.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
Source: www.stern.de
