Viennese imam in court for inciting hatred against Jews!

Viennese imam in court for inciting hatred against Jews!

On October 8th, a Viennese imam will be tried at the Vienna Regional Court after he called for violence against Jews on Facebook. The 61-year-old, who previously worked at the Assalam Mosque in Vienna-Meidling, has to answer for incitement to hatred. These legal actions are a direct result of his incriminating statements following Hamas' devastating attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The Vienna public prosecutor's office filed charges after the anti-Semitic postings were discovered on Facebook and reports about them began to circulate, as TT Report reported.

In his postings, which reached over 3,000 people, the imam made demands that were forceful and shocking. He demanded: "Oh God, punish the criminal Zionists and their supporters and disperse them. Oh God, count them and kill them all and leave not a single one of them left." This type of hate speech is not only unacceptable, it also reflects a serious social problem. The Islamic Religious Community in Austria (IGGÖ) clearly distanced itself from the statements and described them as an “unacceptable reaction to the Middle East conflict”.

The reactions to the anti-Semitic statements

After the anti-Semitic statements became known, the imam resigned from his functions in the Arab religious community, but remained a simple member of the IGGÖ. A ban on his activities has been imposed on him and it remains to be seen what consequences a possible conviction will have on his continued membership. The case not only raises questions about individual responsibility, but also about how mosque communities in Austria deal with such incidents.

The developments in Vienna are part of a larger trend that can be observed in many European cities. Since Hamas' attack on Israel, there have been pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which have often been accompanied by anti-Semitic slogans and threats of violence. Reports of Jewish homes being marked with Stars of David and arson attacks on Jewish graves indicate an alarming increase in anti-Semitic incidents in Europe, as bpb explained.

A worrying trend

Overall, the EU fundamental rights agency documented a 400 percent increase in anti-Semitic incidents after the terrible attacks in October 2023. In Germany, the number of anti-Semitic incidents rose by 80 percent within a year, which once again shows the urgency of taking action against anti-Semitism and reducing the associated social tensions. The discussion about the balance between freedom of expression and anti-Semitism is becoming increasingly important, while some countries are even banning pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

The current situation is a cause for concern, both for the Jewish community and for society as a whole. The imam from Vienna will stand trial on October 8th and his comments are sure to trigger a critical debate about anti-Semitism and the responsibility of religious leaders. As tensions grow in the Middle East, it is more important than ever to promote dialogue and understanding to counter a further rise in hatred and violence.