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French gov't devotes 100 mln euros to fight racism, anti-Semitism

Xinhua, April 18, 2015 Adjust font size:

French government on Friday unveiled a three-year action plan worth 100 million euros (108 million U.S. dollars) to help fight against "unbearable" racism and anti-Semitism.

"Racism, anti-Semitism, hatred of Muslims, of foreigners, homophobia are increasing in an unbearable manner," French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said.

"It's important to awaken consciences and take action against the hatred of others," Valls added in a visit in Creteil, Paris suburbs where a Jewish man and his girlfriend were attacked in December.

With its new anti-discrimination scheme, the Socialists want to increase internet control, make more awareness campaigns whose major sponsors would be artists, athletes and intellectuals. In addition, they are working to raise penalties for crimes of hatred and racism.

According to the Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), discrimination and violence against Muslims surged by 70 percent after two gunmen claiming links with Islamist cells stormed headquarter of the weekly Charlie Hebdo killing 10 journalists.

The islamophobia watchdog also said anti-Muslim racism grew by 11 percent overall in 2014 from a year earlier.

Anti-Semitic acts increased by 38 percent in 2014 with the highest number reported in France, a report issued by Tel Aviv University's Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jew showed.

"French Jews must no longer be scared to be Jewish and French Muslims must no longer be scared to be Muslim," French Prime Minister stressed. Endit