In the face of an alarming rise in antisemitic incidents worldwide, a stark warning has come from Lord Eric Pickles, the United Kingdom’s Special Envoy for Post-Holocaust Issues.
In a powerful joint article, Pickles joined leaders from France and Germany to sound the alarm over surging hate crimes and call for decisive action against all forms of discrimination.
“If we lose the battle against antisemitism, we lose our democracies,” they cautioned.
Their rallying cry comes as the UK commemorates major milestones in recognizing the longstanding persecution of the Roma community during the Holocaust.
Antisemitism’s Alarming Rise
Key Points:
- 320% increase in antisemitic incidents in Germany since Hamas attacks
- First time ever antisemitic crimes recorded in every UK police region
- 40% of antisemitic acts in French schools involve Nazi apology
The statistics paint a chilling picture of hatred metastasizing across Europe. In Germany, antisemitic crimes skyrocketed 320% in the months following the Hamas terrorist attacks last October. The UK experienced an equally concerning trend, with antisemitic incidents logged in every single police region for the first time. In France, a stunning 40% of school-based antisemitic acts involved apologism for Nazism – a stark generational failure.
“Antisemitism is pernicious and sends the message that some people deserve to be targeted solely because of who they are,” Pickles and his co-authors cautioned.
The consequences reverberate through society, causing
“lasting physical and emotional damage” while provoking “despair, anger and anxiety” in victims. It is a scourge that “weakens the glue that binds our societies together.”
Grappling with Hatred’s Toll
Acknowledging Painful Pasts
While combatting contemporary antisemitism, the UK is also taking steps to reckon with its own difficult legacy regarding the Roma genocide. This week marked the official opening of the Lety Memorial in Czechia, transforming the former site of an abhorrent Nazi concentration camp from an “industrial pig farm” into a commemorative space.
In a poignant ceremony speech, Lord Pickles hailed the memorial as a powerful representation of efforts by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA)
“to ensure that the victims of the Roma genocide are remembered.”
He praised the Czech government’s adoption of the IHRA working definition of anti-Roma discrimination as well, urging further reforms to eliminate segregation and discrimination.
New Monuments to Tragedy
Building on this progress, Lord Pickles welcomed plans unveiled this month for a new Roma Holocaust memorial in Newcastle. The prominent monument will stand as “an important milestone in UK history” and a place for “future generations to visit and learn” the troubling truth about persecution of Roma communities.
Rejecting Complacency and Inaction
Both the rising tide of antisemitism and the belated recognition of the Roma genocide underscore the urgent need for education, memorialization, and concrete policy changes. Lord Pickles was unequivocal that “national action plans addressing antisemitism should be at the heart of what we do,” backed by robust legal frameworks and consultations with affected communities.
However, clear-eyed optimism remains.
“If we lose the battle against antisemitism, we lose our democracies,”
the joint article stated – a dire prospect, but one that reaffirms democracies’ resilience to hatred when met with principled solidarity. As Lord Pickles remarked in Czechia, commemorating victims represents
“acknowledging the dark moments of the past but looking towards a brighter future.”
Conclusion and Next Steps
With the IHRA poised to publish recommendations on teaching the Roma genocide, a roadmap is emerging to boost Holocaust education and counter entrenched prejudices.
Legal and policy reforms beckon as well, from enabling restitution for Roma victims to integrating schools.
The path forward remains arduous, but a new era of reckoning with the past provides hope for lasting change.
Sources: THX News, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office & The Rt Hon Lord Pickles.
