14 June, 2006
Poland has cracked down on hate speech following a knife attack on a man who had been targeted by a neo-Nazi website. The step also comes in response to an attack on Poland’s chief rabbi Michael Schudrich by a man shouting “Poland for Poles” and a series of anti-Jewish threats sent to members of Jewish student organizations. In recent weeks, Polish police have created a special unit that deals with combating neo-fascist activities, according to Agnieszka Magdziak-Miszewska, adviser on Jewish affairs to Prime Minister Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz. Police earlier this month arrested the alleged content provider of "Red Watch", the website that listed the name and whereabouts of the anti-fascist who was later assaulted by skinheads in Warsaw, and which also promotes hatred against Jews and homosexuals. There are more than 500 racist and xenophobic websites in Poland, according to Never Again, an anti-racism organization which this month will begin working with police to shut the sites down.
