Yellow Vest protesters fan flames of anti-Semitism in France
Paris (CNN)Recent weeks have seen black swastikas scrawled across portraits of Auschwitz survivor, Simone Veil; 96 tombs at a Jewish cemetery defaced in eastern France; and the words, “Dirty Zionist sh*t!”, hurled in anger at French philosopher Alain Finkielkraut by a man wearing a fluorescent yellow vest.
These are but a few of the anti-Semitic attacks that have blighted the country in recent months. Home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, France has seen a 74% rise in anti-Semitic incidents over the past year, according to French authorities. French President Emmanuel Macron has gone as far as to say that anti-Semitism is at its worst levels in France and in other parts of Europe since World War II.
Studies have shown anti-Semitism is rising sharply across Europe but this violent resurgence in France has triggered some deep soul-searching with many asking: what’s behind it? Why now? Some have questioned the Yellow Vest movement and whether its radical fringe is partly to blame for the sudden uptick.
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