Dutch organizations want criminal investigation into Aalst Carnival: "Standard against anti-Semitism

In the Netherlands, a dozen Jewish organizations are calling for an in-depth investigation into the Aalst Carnival procession. Again, there were offensive caricatures, although the Jewish community had asked for more understanding after floats in the procession last year. The call was signed by MPs from four Dutch political parties and sent to the Belgian ambassador in The Hague.
Aalst will again receive international criticism this year after all kinds of Jewish caricatures had appeared in the carnival parade of the previous edition. "There is an essential difference between citing a stereotyping caricature and a stereotyping caricature that is hostile and derogatory," it sounds.

The caricatures this year were "loaded with a rich history of nothing less than deadly propaganda and incitement," can be read in the letter. "The stereotyping of Jews with angry faces surrounded by gold bars or even as vermin are motifs that we should only know from history books about the racism of the medieval kingdoms, Tsarist Russia and from Nazi propaganda."

Thorough investigation
The association of organizations and politicians ask the Belgian authorities to take action against the use of anti-Semitic caricatures. "Now that the anti-Semitism norm has been further endangered since the carnival, at least a thorough investigation into possible criminal discrimination under Belgian law is needed."
The letter was signed by ten Dutch-Jewish organizations and inter-religious associations and signed by national politicians from the parties GroenLinks, ChristenUnie, D66 and SGP.

Aalst received serious criticism last year about the use of Jewish stereotypes, and again this year 25 complaints were received at the inter-federal equal opportunities center Unia. Director Patrick Charlier adds that mayor Christoph D'Haese (N-VA) of Aalst has stayed away three times from meetings that were held with members of Jewish organizations. This eventually led to the withdrawal of the Aalst carnival as a Unesco heritage.

In turn, Unia consults with the public prosecutor and the police to ascertain whether legal action is being taken on the basis of the 25 complaints registered in our country.