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In the last incident, which can give new food for debates about the growth of anti -Semitism in Europe, the outstanding US rabbi in Vienna was attacked on Friday, and then delivered to the police station for interrogation from the Austrian police.
The rabbi Shmuli Bothech, known in the United States and as the “Rabbi of America”, told Euronews that during his vacation in Vienna with his wife he fell on the rally and decided to confront the fact that they said that they were “Islamists who wanted to kill the Jews.”
The video published by Boteach on the Internet shows that he was surrounded by protesters during a strong confrontation, and one of them hit him on the leg from behind, then the other person grabbed him by the collar of the shirt.
In the video, Botoch called on the police to arrest men, but instead of the police are called to surround him to interrogate him. Bothech said that the police told him: “Calm down, otherwise you will be arrested.”
Nevertheless, he was taken to the police department to recognize the personality and further interrogation, leaving him “humiliated and shocked that this could happen in 2025 in Europe only because he wears a kipa,” he said to EURONEWS. The officers refused to identify, he said.
For the boot, the question remains why he was led to interrogation, and not all those who participated in a clash.
“I could not believe that immediately after passively standing like a Jew in Vienna, I did not bother anyone and suddenly threatening to kill just because I was wearing a pile, now it threatens me with the arrest of the Austrian police.”
While he told the police that he had passed a few minutes before Saturday, the rabbi said that the police had his deposit, that he was behaving “cold and aggressive”, and stated that this was a complaint about the attack. But when they saw a video of the incident confirmed by witnesses, the botchus said that the police admitted that they were a victim, and forced him to sign a statement.
“At the end of two hours, an employee of supervision, who was unfairly cold and even threatening me, came to the interrogation hall and became warmer. Maybe he pulled me out. I don’t know, ”said Bothech.
“He explained to me that he himself was a minority that migrated to Austria. He said that he understands the threat to the Jewish community. He and I abandoned my hands. But because they were seen with them for hours as a novice criminal, ”he asked.
The press secretary of the Austrian police informed the Israeli information agency JNS on Sunday that “a short turmoil with the participation of a person” and that “the police on the spot prevented further confrontation.”
Currently, investigations are being conducted on suspicion of trying to attack and damage material damage to unknown criminals, the representative explained. There were no arrests in the concentration, they added.
Anti -Semitism in Europe continues to grow
Leading European and international organizations warned for several months of growing anti -Semitic feelings in Epirus after the outbreak of the Israeli HAM war in Gaza in October 2023.
According to the report on the League of the Antidiffamation League (ADL), reported in May, forced anti -Semitic incidents increased in seven countries with the largest Jewish communities outside Israel, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom.
The report states that attacks on Jewish schools, synagogues and enterprises, along with people, increased significantly, in some cases more than doubled in 2023 compared to the previous year.
In Germany, anti -Semitic incidents increased by 75% from 2021 to 2023, by 185% in France and 82% in the United Kingdom.
According to police statistics, only 3200 crimes in Germany were motivated by anti -Semitism from January 1, 2024 to October 7, 2024, according to the report.
Another survey of the US Anti -Dyffamation League campaign from January showed that about half of the adult population of the world, anti -Semitic behavior was deeply rooted, twice as much as a decade ago.
In some European countries, up to the four fifth adults of the adult population, such as Jews, control the media and enterprises or are responsible for most wars.
Even before the war, anti -Semitism attended European territory. According to a survey conducted by the EU fundamental organization before the start of the war, 96% of respondents stated that in the period from January to June 2023 they experienced anti -Semitism in Europe.
Calculated by American media as “the most famous rabbi in America,” the botchus condemned his test in Europe as a warning.
“Vienna should choose: will it be the city of Mozart, Subert, Mahler – or the city where Jews are attacked on the streets, and the statues of the Jewish will rise? “He said, adding that he addresses his“ friends ”, which they pass without serious consequences, he sends a clear message to his Jewish community: you yourself.”
“In one city after another, from Paris to London and Brussels, anti-Israeli rallies turned into open calls for violence against Jews,” he explained.
“People are looking in another place. The police returned – or, as in my case, turns his suspicion of the victim, ”Bothech concluded.