Strong pro-Israel consensus among political leaders has led to conflict with Berlin’s diverse cultural sector and a fraught debate over antisemitism

Less than 10 years ago, Germany, and especially Berlin, was held up as a beacon of openness and inclusivity in a western world rocked by Brexit and Donald Trump. Angela Merkel’s decision to take in thousands of refugees displaced by the war in Syria boosted her country’s reputation in progressive circles, with many international artists and academics choosing to make the German capital their new home.

Yet the conflict in the Middle East is showing Germany in a new light, highlighting fissures in society and the arts world that until now had been easier to ignore.

  • crispy_kilt@feddit.deEnglish
    24·
    7 months ago

    Pictures and videos are evidence of a single event each, not evidence of systematic opression

    Any organisation can make statements which can be argued to be statements of principle, of opinion, or similar, and not face any consequences. Tax-exempt status is removed if they start working for profit, not if they work in the direction of their political beliefs.

    • tryptaminev 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇪🇺@feddit.deEnglish
      4·
      7 months ago

      They can and will lose their tax exempt status or have it threatened if the government argues them to believe “extremist” for which false allegations would be an indication.

      Losing the tax exempt status based on broad allegations have happened to the VVN-BdA the Association of people persecuted by the nazi regime, federation of antifascists. Based on it being mentioned in the “constitution protection report” of the interior intelligence in Bavaria the finance office of Berlin has revoked its tax exempt status in 2019. The organization was targeted as “leftist extremists” as they have a decisive anti-fascist stance, given that the organization has been founded by Holocaust survivors and their descendants are organized in it.

      https://taz.de/Aberkennung-der-VVN-Gemeinnuetzigkeit/!5645383/

      https://taz.de/VVN-BdA-wieder-voll-gemeinnuetzig/!5768978/

      • crispy_kilt@feddit.deEnglish
        13·
        7 months ago

        if the government argues them to believe “extremist”

        Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist they can feel quite safe from that. Also, well done moving the goalposts.

        The fact remains that expressing statements furthering their political interests carries zero consequences. Which is a good thing, without this democracy wouldn’t work. It also means that your sources are closer to opinions than to facts. Got any peer-reviewed studies perhaps?

        • tryptaminev 🇵🇸 🇺🇦 🇪🇺@feddit.deEnglish
          4·
          7 months ago

          Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist

          except in many cases they are, and except the fact that this should be ringing alarm bells when left leaning organizations are targeted by the government. Taking their tax exempt status, like it was done with the VVN is a death sentence to non profit organizations.

          Also how do you want to get peer reviewed studies about something that is happening right now and in that extent and with that attention since six months?

          • crispy_kilt@feddit.deEnglish
            12·
            7 months ago

            Yeah, only some of the Landesverbände, not the federal party - which is what really matters.

            So would you say, there is as of yet insufficient evidence for a factual conclusion?