Germans told to cut star from Covid protests

Germany’s commissioner on antisemitism, Felix Klein, has called for a ban on the Star of David being worn at protests decrying Covid-19 restrictions.

Highlighting an inconsistent approach across the country, he said that while some cities had laid down the law on the use of the Magen David, others had not.

“When people attach Jewish stars to demonstrations and thus make comparisons that relativise the Holocaust, the possibilities of regulatory law should be used,” he said, when asked about anti-vaccination activists wearing yellow stars.

“The city of Munich has set in the requirements for such demonstrations that the use of these Jewish stars is not permitted. If they are shown anyway, the police intervene. I hope other cities will follow Munich’s example and I support this.”

Klein also said a new development seen over the course of the pandemic was that previously unconnected antisemitic groups had found common ground over the coronavirus, with anti-Jewish conspiracy theories surging in popularity. “In times of crisis, people are more open to irrational explanations, including antisemitic stereotypes,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it has been a tradition in Germany for centuries that Jews are held responsible for crises. This mostly comes from right-wing extremists and conspiracy theorists, but there are also anti-Jewish arguments on the left.”