In France, police have arrested five people for allegedly distributing anti-Semitic leaflets. These ended up in the mailboxes of residents in the south of the country, the Public Prosecution Service announced on Thursday.
The location chosen for the distribution was the former Gurs internment camp, where thousands of Jews from Germany were held. Three of the five suspects were brought to trial on Friday.
During the interrogation they expressed their sympathy for right-wing extremism and neo-Nazism. In addition to the pamphlets, weapons were also seized, as well as a Nazi armband and an accompanying flag. The top administrative official in Pau, southern France, strongly condemned the anti-Semitic acts and expressed support for the Jewish and Gurs communities.
The former camp was guarded
As a precaution, the police had the memorial site of the former camp guarded for days to prevent feared damage or desecration of Jewish graves at the site. “I am really outraged that there are still people who can have such ideas,” says Mayor Christian Puharré about France Bleue. It was the first time that Gurs had been targeted by a right-wing extremist group; he could hardly have imagined it. The monument was erected in 1980.
In 1940, approximately 6,500 Jews from Baden, Palatinate and Saarland were deported to the camp. The conditions were appalling. Many deportees died from exhaustion and epidemics. About a third were murdered in extermination camps in the East between 1942 and 1944. The cemetery in the former camp contains approximately 1,000 graves.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
