Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Russians prosecute church for antisemitism

This is rather an odd one:

"Prosecutors in Cherepovets, Russia (Vologda region) opened an investigation into the screening of an antisemitic film at a Russian Orthodox Church affiliated library, according to an April 9, 2008 report by the Interfax news agency. The library screened the film "Russia With a Knife in its Back: Jewish Fascism and the Genocide of the Russian People" throughout 2007, despite the fact that the Federal Registration Service lists it as banned extremist material. Local prosecutors assert that the film "contains statements aimed at inciting hatred and enmity, and humiliates the dignity of Jews based on their ethnicity, origin, and attitude towards religion."

Source

I gather that antisemitism is widespread in Russia but having the Russian State prosecute it feels a bit odd in the light of past Soviet persecution of Jews.

4 comments:

John Wheelock said...

Russia is incredibly anti-Semitic. There is an old Soviet joke that goes like this: the first time someone is arrested, they are marked as a criminal in their passport. The second time they are arrested, they are marked as an enemy spy in their passport. The third time they are arrested, they are marked Jewish in their passport.

http://grizzlymountain.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

Is this the Russian version of 'pc'?

Anonymous said...

Nothing is as it seems in Russia. It is possible that government action stems from the film but it's also possible that there never was a film. Most likely some mid level local bureaucrats have some business interests in jeopardy because of some NGOs. This film incident gives them the means to tighten the screws so to speak.

Anonymous said...

Russia has a history of anti-Semitism, and now that there appears to be a defense of the Jews we complain? What the hell is this? If it is true that Russia has gone after the screening of the film, then GOOD FOR THEM!