An appeals court in Germany upheld an earlier verdict that calling “death and hate to Zionists” during a demonstration is tantamount to anti-Semitism.
The verdict was made in the case against Taylor Can, a German of Turkish origin, who argued that his chants at an anti-Israel demonstration in Essen last summer during Operation Protecttive Edge were ‘’purely political’’.
In court, Can said he had “nothing against Jews, just against Zionists.”
‘’This is an absolute milestone in an otherwise very upsetting setting,” said Sacha Stawski, founder and president of the German pro-Israel media watchdog Honestly Concerned.
He stressed that last summer’s demonstrations in Germany were “filled with hate — anti-Semitic hate, which hid behind the ‘facade’ of supposed ‘criticism’ of Zionism and of Israel.”
He added: “The judges in this case very correctly came to the conclusion that criticism is absolutely acceptable; but what we saw had nothing to do with voicing concern over the defensive measures of the Israeli army.”