German Court Calls Synagogue Torching An Act to Criticize Israel

[BubbaJack]

A German regional court in the city of Wuppertal affirmed a lower court decision last Friday stating that a violent attempt to burn the city's synagogue by three men in 2014 was a justified expression of criticism of Israel’s policies.

Johannes Pinnel, a spokesman for the regional court in Wuppertal, outlined the court’s decision in a statement.
Three German Palestinians sought to torch the Wuppertal synagogue with Molotov cocktails in July, 2014. The local Wuppertal court panel said in its 2015 decision that the three men wanted to draw “attention to the Gaza conflict” with Israel. The court deemed the attack not to be motivated by antisemitism.

German court calls synagogue torching an act to 'criticize Israel'

 

[Nithavela]

I don't think that a crime should be punished more harshly because it was a "hate crime". Also, the molotov cocktails never burned anything except themselves, so I think that probational verdicts were propably justified.

I don't believe for one minute that this was nothing more than a "political protest". Thankfully, the arsonists were not only not the sharpest tools in the shed, but also dead drunk.

 

[BubbaJack]

I don't think that a crime should be punished more harshly because it was a "hate crime". Also, the molotov cocktails never burned anything except themselves, so I think that probational verdicts were propably justified.

I don't believe for one minute that this was nothing more than a "political protest". Thankfully, the arsonists were not only not the sharpest tools in the shed, but also dead drunk.

I agree; I'm not a fan of hate crime laws, though I understand the reasoning behind them.

 

[Tull]

Just the Jews so who cares,nothing to see here,just some boys having fun.

 

[Nithavela]

I agree; I'm not a fan of hate crime laws, though I understand the reasoning behind them.

I think the south park episode concerning this was very insightfull (if, of course, not linkabale on this site.)

 

[Tull]

No it isn't linkable because its filthy vulgar trash that America seems to able to produce in abundance these days.

 

[Nithavela]

No it isn't linkable because its filthy vulgar trash that America seems to able to produce in abundance these days.

South Park is, beneath the vulgarity and crude humor, a very insightfull show with deep understanding and great care for the subject matter. For example, when they made an episode about the tourette syndrome, it was received as very emphatical and offering a varied view of the subject, instead of only showing people screaming obscenities.

 

[Gadarene]

So....isn't that still racist?

 

[Tull]

So....isn't that still racist?

Its politicaly correct,excused and protected hatred.

 

[Gadarene]

well i object to islam

purely conceptually you understand

i'm off to lash some bacon at my local mosque, that'll sort that international geopolitical situation out

 

[SummerMadness]

Burn an embassy, it's political. Burn a synagogue, that's a hate crime in my book. A synagogue is not part of the Israeli government.

 

[bhsmte]

Burn an embassy, it's political. Burn a synagogue, that's a hate crime in my book. A synagogue is not part of the Israeli government.

Is one more acceptable than the other?

 

[SummerMadness]

Is one more acceptable than the other?

Relevance? Is either second-degree murder or first-degree murder more acceptable?

 

[bhsmte]

Relevance? Is either second-degree murder or first-degree murder more acceptable?

It is relevant because you placed a label on each. I ask again and it is a simple question; is one more acceptable than the other?

 

[SummerMadness]

It is relevant because you placed a label on each. I ask again and it is a simple question; is one more acceptable than the other?

Neither crime is more acceptable than the other.

 

[essentialsaltes]

So....isn't that still racist?

If we accept their stated motivations, it's anti-Israel, or perhaps anti-Zionist.

I agree with summermadness that an embassy would be a more suitable choice of target if the protest was against Israel rather than 'the Jews'. If the morons had thought about it more carefully, they might have figured that out. But then, people who think about things more carefully don't do moronic things.

 

[Nithavela]

If we accept their stated motivations, it's anti-Israel, or perhaps anti-Zionist.

I agree with summermadness that an embassy would be a more suitable choice of target if the protest was against Israel rather than 'the Jews'. If the morons had thought about it more carefully, they might have figured that out. But then, people who think about things more carefully don't do moronic things.

They were very drunk, too.

 

[Gadarene]

If we accept their stated motivations, it's anti-Israel, or perhaps anti-Zionist.

I agree with summermadness that an embassy would be a more suitable choice of target if the protest was against Israel rather than 'the Jews'. If the morons had thought about it more carefully, they might have figured that out. But then, people who think about things more carefully don't do moronic things.

My point is the hairsplitting being done with "oh it's not antisemitic, it's anti-Israel" is pointless. Both are in effect racist, one is against an ethnicity, the other is against a nationality.

 

[essentialsaltes]

My point is the hairsplitting being done with "oh it's not antisemitic, it's anti-Israel" is pointless. Both are in effect racist, one is against an ethnicity, the other is against a nationality.

I think that hair is thick enough. Otherwise, being anti-American or anti-German is "in effect racist", and various Jewish anti-occupation groups would be antisemitic.

 

[Gadarene]

I think that hair is thick enough. Otherwise, being anti-American or anti-German is "in effect racist"

which it is

and various Jewish anti-occupation groups would be antisemitic.

it is possible to be racist against your own demographic, not that i necessarily think any of these groups are as i know nothing about them