what were the case of race discrimination among German people
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Ever since the violent death of an African-American man, George Floyd, at the hands of police two weeks ago, a wave of protests has been rolling across the US.
Many people in Germany were also shocked by footage in which he is seen in mortal agony while being subjected to brutal mistreatment for almost nine minutes. Tens of thousands of people across the country took to the streets this past weekend to protest against racism, despite restrictions imposed to stem the coronavirus pandemic,
Amid considerable media attention, they also decried racial discrimination in Germany. For the image of German society, too, has repeatedly been blemished by everyday racism, xenophobic riots and right-wing extremist attacks like those carried out by the National Socialist Underground (NSU).
Almost 1,200 complaints of racism
Recent statistics back up the protesters' criticism and confirm a dismal trend: Racial discrimination has increased significantly in Germany.
Last year, Germany’s Anti-Discrimination Agency received more than 3,500 complaints for discrimination incidents, of which cases of racial discrimination saw a marked increase. Experts are now calling for a modernisation of federal laws. EURACTIV Germany reports.
On Tuesday (9 June), the Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency (ADS) presented an annual report for the second time since 2018 on the requests for advice it received on incidents of discrimination.
According to the report, in 2019, about one-third of all requests concerned discrimination based on ethnic origin, resulting in a 10% increase of cases of racial discrimination compared to the previous year.
“The figures are a warning signal. Germany is not doing enough against racism,” emphasised an ADS spokesperson during a press conference yesterday (9 June).
The second most frequent cases of discrimination based on gender were those where the authority provided legal information. And while more than a quarter of all inquiries referred to discrimination based on disability, other inquiries related to age discrimination, religion and belief as well as sexual identity.
The protective scope of the AGG has gaps
The ADS was set up in 2006 as a counselling centre for people affected by discrimination as part of the transposition of a European directive on equal treatment.
The legal basis for the counselling services is enshrined in the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG), which was adopted the same year.
In addition to discrimination based on age, disability, ethnic origin, religion and belief, discrimination based on gender and sexual identity also falls under the law.
However, the scope of application is limited.
For example, the law only refers to discrimination in the workplace and in civil society relations, also known as “everyday employment”. Renting of property, for example, is covered but not relations with state authorities or the police force.
The regional parliament in the Berlin constituency last week passed a controversial and nationally unique state anti-discrimination law to extend the scope of the law, which is intended to protect those who have encountered discrimination from state authorities.
And according to Franke, the Berlin law should serve as a model for other federal states.
“This is particularly important because the education sector and police work are entirely within the jurisdiction of the federal states,” said Franke, who is also calling for the establishment of independent complaints bodies for police misconduct.
“There must not be a gap in the long run”, warned the ADS Commissioner during yesterday’s press conference.