(The Christian Science Monitor) As dusk fell over Paris one February evening, 20,000 people gathered around the iconic statue of La République to demonstrate their disgust at anti-Semitism. France had witnessed a wave of anti-Semitic incidents in prior weeks, including the desecration of Jewish graves with swastikas.
“I can’t stand this racist filth,” said Florent Nicoud, a young filmmaker with a placard reading “That’s Enough,” as he showed support for Jewish neighbors. “I don’t know if this changes much, but at least we can say, ‘We’re here; you are not alone.’”
Hate crimes against Jewish targets are rising across the continent, with increases reported last year in almost every country in Europe. Anti-Semitic rhetoric is becoming more open as nationalist and populist movements have grown more powerful and as some Muslim citizens have reinforced centuries-old European prejudices in airing grievances against Israel’s policies.
