Wiesenthal Centre Urges Bremen Mayor to Condemn BDS and Evict the BDS'ers from Municipal Villa

June 3, 2016

SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE-EUROPE Tel.: +33(0)1 47 23 76 37 Fax: +33(0)1 47 20 84 01 Email:csweurope@gmail.com "Bremen seems to be the BDS capital of today's Germany, where uniformed Hitler Youth-style goons terrorize supermarket staff in looting Israeli and other Kosher products, destroying them in a paroxysm of Jew-hatred." Paris, 3 June In a letter to Bremen Mayor, Carsten Seiling (pictured), Simon Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels expressed concern at the, "Inaction of your municipality against a reportedly, increasingly violent anti-Semitic campaign, otherwise known as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions), reminiscent of the 1930's 'Kaufen nicht bei Juden' (Do Not Buy From Jews) assaults in Nazi Germany." The letter argued, "Bremen seems to be the BDS capital of today's Germany, where uniformed Hitler Youth-style goons terrorize supermarket staff in looting Israeli and other Kosher products, destroying them in a paroxysm of Jew-hatred." Samuels noted, "Your city was once celebrated as a leader of the free-trade Hanseatic League. BDS is, in fact, a violation of the World Trade Organisation's cardinal principal of open commerce," adding, "Apparently, the German BDS movement operates from the Villa Ichon, owned by the City of Bremen, and seat of the "Bremen Peace Forum", ostensibly leased as a 'place to meet for associations, especially for cultural and social life' ." The Centre stated, "Mr. Mayor, if you are proud to see BDS as a 'cultural and social' phenomenon, the image of Bremen is sadly tarnished," urging him to, "Invoke your municipal integrity to publicly condemn BDS and take measures for the rapid eviction of these hooligans from the Villa Ichon." "Your continued inaction can only be construed as championship of BDS and co-responsibility in possibly violent repercussions against the Jewish community," concluded Samuels. For further information please contact Shimon Samuels 00 33 609 7701 58, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent direct to your Twitter feed. The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000 member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS,