EGAM horrified by racist murders in France

Press release

The European Grassroots Antiracist Movement is horrified by the antisemitic murders in Toulouse, and organized a March against racism and antisemitism on March 19th

Paris, March 19th, 2012

EGAM is deeply shocked and horrified by the antisemitic murders that took place this morning in front of Ozar Hatora, a Jewish school in Toulouse. The first thoughts of the antiracist leaders of all Europe are with the victims, their families, the Jewish community, and the whole French national community. EGAM stands by the families of the victims.

EGAM praises the first response of the French public authorities who appear to have understood the seriousness of the event: visits of the main candidates in the presidential election on the spot, clear statements, and taking of strong symbolical measures.

EGAM is confident in the ability of the French public authorities to carry out the investigation quickly and efficiently and to bring the culprit of these antisemitic murders to justice.

For Benjamin Abtan, President of EGAM : “These antisemitic murders, which are possibly linked to the potentially racist murders of three soldiers last week, take place in a European context of the increase in the number of racist murders and growth in antisemitism and racism on our continent.

They come in the wake of the July 22nd 2011 massacre in Oslo, where EGAM just held its Annual Meeting in solidarity with the victims, of the murders of the German ‘Group of Iéna’ during ten years, of the racist murders in Florence, and of the murders of Roma people in Romania and Hungary where EGAM just participated in the large rally of democratic forces from the civil society.

These actions are made possible by a climate of hate, maintained across all Europe especially by the far rights forces, who support racism and antisemitism across our continent and who provide an ideological justification to these acts. Facing antisemitic and racist terrorism that strikes our continent, and today, particularly France, the European antiracist civil society will be vigilant and reaffirms with force its attachment to the democratic values of Europe, against the discourse of hate of some of the political forces of our continent.”

The French and launching Member of EGAM, SOS Racisme, organizes a March against racism and antisemitism this evening in Paris. It will start at 8pm at Place de la République, and will finish at Place de la Bastille.

The European Grassroots Antiracist Movement – EGAM gathers the antiracist organizations of 30 European countries. EGAM was founded in November 2010 to structure the fight of the European antiracist civil society against racism, antisemitism, and racial discrimination through grassroots action and political lobbying.

Press Contact : Aline Le Bail-Kremer, Cell : +33 6 73 06 99 74