(08/07/2016)
Alternative for Germany (AfD) MEP Beatrix von Storch tweets racist message about German football team
Beatrix von Storch, a German Member of European Parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (EFDD), tweeted a message blaming German football players of foreign origin for Germanys defeat against France. The tweet sent out was “Maybe next time the German NATIONAL TEAM should play?”
The tweet is the latest controversy involving a member of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party after the party was split by a row over anti-Semitism prompted by the views of one of its lawmakers. Thirteen of AfD’s lawmakers in a state parliament formed a new bloc, Alternative for Baden-Wuerttemberg after one AfD legislator suggested the Holocaust was given too much attention.
This follows on from AfD’s party conference where they voted on a manifesto which said that there was “no place for Islam” in Germany.
Cecile Kyenge, Co-Preisdent of ARDI, said: “I am shocked and repulsed by this statement which seeks to divide our society and blame people perceived as ‘foreigners’. I wish such statements were a thing of the past, but instead they remind us that we must remain vigilante and continue our fight against hate speech.”
Michael Privot, Director of ENAR, said: “This is an unacceptable comment coming from a politician, contributing to the current climate of hate against minority communities. These remarks reinforce the prejudice that ethnic and religious minorities don’t belong to European nations, fueling rejections behaviours and violent practices. Just a few days ago, we mourned the racist murder of an asylum seeker in Italy, in the context of a campaign of hate against migrants and Black people incited by racist groups, movements and parties in the country.”