Israel Matzav

Make a Nazi salute, get your head bashed in

Six JDL members in France are under arrest for allegedly beating up neo-Nazis who were identified from pictures on the internet.

According to the claims, at least 2 of the attacks last weekend occurred in Lyon and Villeurbanne, and targeted locals who had made a modified Nazi salute known as quenelle, reports Walla!. The gesture consists of a lowered straight arm salute with the other arm folded across the shoulder, and was made famous in France by controversial comedian Dieudonne M'bala M'bala, who has been accused of anti-Semitism on numerous occasions.

The gesture has since gained popularity among French anti-Semites, many of whom photograph themselves making the "modified" Nazi salute in front of Jewish establishments, holocaust memorial sites and even with unsuspecting Jewish passersby. The phenomenon is not only popular with neo-Nazis though - many of those recorded giving the salute have been young French Muslims.

In September two soldiers in the French Alpinist unit were punished after being documented making the salute in front of a Paris synagogue. World Zionist Organization (WZO) declared the salute as a clear Nazi symbol. The September incident was not the first evidence of Neo-Nazi French soldiers.

In the recent attacks, French newspaper La Parisienne alleges that roughly 40 members of the LDJ arrived at a Lyon hotel to attack a worker suspected of being a Neo-Nazi. After an altercation broke out with hotel security, police showed up and promptly fired tear gas at the members. Nevertheless, the paper claims JDL members managed to hit and kidnap another person, not their original target.

Meanwhile on Sunday, the French paper reports six members attacked a man they identified from Neo-Nazi pictures on the internet, locking him in the trunk of their car.

Half a year ago the French JDL reportedly sent members to beat up and hospitalize an Arab in Paris who they said attacked Jews in the city.

Given what a lousy job the French authorities have done in preventing anti-Semitic incidents (actually, they've encouraged it), and the depth of anti-Semitism in France, I'd be more worried if there were not Jews standing up for their brethren. 

Labels: Dieudonne, French anti-Semitism, Nazis, Paris

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:13 PM