ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses a number of measures proposed by the institutions of the European Community. It discusses the problem of racist violence and the European Community policy response. Racist violence, or violence motivated by racism, anti-Semitism or xenophobia, has presented a serious social problem across Europe and provided a formidable challenge for social policy. The Commission of the European Communities observed in 1993 that ‘nearly all countries report increased numbers of racist incidents and attacks on foreigners and individuals belonging to ethnic, racial or linguistic minorities’. The extent of racist violence across the European Community member states has exposed the failure of many countries – and the European institutions – to ensure basic rights for substantial numbers of their citizens. The Kahn Commission called for the establishment of Holocaust denial legislation in all member states of the European Union, arguing that ‘there should be specific offences of Holocaust-denial and the trivialisation of other crimes against humanity.
