EU

Racism stats on Austria rocket

EU
Published on 25 June 2009

In Austria, Die Presse reports that data from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights indicate a 79.5% upsurge in racist violence and 87.5% growth in the number of anti-semitic incidents between 2006 and 2007. "Notwithstanding these dramatic increases, the agency's director, Morten Kjaerum, is reluctant to lambast Austria, because the statistics may be due to the provision of better documentation and greater vigilance on the part of authorities." Four other countries are reported to be experiencing difficulties with violence: Poland, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Throughout the European Union, the main victims are always the same: members of traveling communities and African immigrants. The agency also noted a marked improvement in figures from Denmark, where the number of incidents involving racist violence declined by 63.5%.

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