Bulgarian Jewish Community Alarmed by Hate Crimes

Society | June 9, 2010, Wednesday // 14:12
Bulgarian Jewish Community Asks for Tough Measures against Neo-Nazis: Bulgarian Jewish Community Alarmed by Hate Crimes Violence erupted Sunday in a Sofia public transportation tram when two groups of young men clashed. Photo by BGNES

The Jewish Lodge Carmel 3355 B'nai B'rith is asking Bulgarian authorities to strictly apply the parts of the Penal Code dealing with spreading neo-Nazi ideas and hate crimes.

The statement, sent to the media Wednesday, was triggered by violence in the capital Sofia on Sunday when a group of what is believed to have been neo-Nazis stormed a public transportation tram car severely beating another group of young men, seriously injuring several of them.

According to the Jewish community, this is the latest outburst of violence of neo-Nazis on the city's streets because the police and the special task force continuously fail to counter them.

The declaration points out the Lodge has been sending letters for years, insisting to ban neo-Nazi organizations such as Bulgarian National Union Guard, Blood and Honor, and National Resistance.

“Not only are they allowed to freely terrorize citizens, but they hold marches in Bulgaria's largest cities with the blessing of police, which also provides their security, while their crimes of violence are often deemed minor incidents of hooliganism,” the statement points out, saying the Jewish community is asking for the perpetrators in the latest case to be tried for organized murder attempt.

A copy of the letter has been sent to Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, Interior Minister, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, and Chief Prosecutor, Boris Velchev.

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Tags: tram, Busmantsi, Tsvetan Tsvetanov, neo-Nazi, Pirogov, Jewish community

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