‘This Video is the Utmost Example of Hate Speech’

Photograph: Screenshot from the video in question

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Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Diyarbakır MP Garo Paylan has submitted a Parliamentary question regarding the video that was shared on Twitter on July 31, featuring a group of children made to chant "Death to Jews."

Arguing that the video is both a hate crime and child abuse, Paylan has asked Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu a series of questions about the issue, including whether an investigation will be launched against the violation caused by the video and whether the necessary precautions will be taken to prevent hate speech, hate crime and child abuse.

Şalom newspaper Editor-in-Chief İvo Molinas has also spoken to bianet about the video in question.

'Racism instilled into children's brains'

Molinas has stated the following about the issue:

"There is an intense anti-semitism in visual and print media and social media in Turkey, but this video is a completely different example of semitism.

"Hatred of Jews, hatred of humans is instilled into the little brains of children who do not know who the Jews are.

"These children will be integrated into society as potential anti-semites, which is the biggest danger.

"Racism and hate crimes have to be penalized.

"A lawsuit absolutely needs to be filed against the statements that could constitute racism and hate crime, the responsible parties and the ones who lead children to this direction.

'We cannot do anything, but complain'

"All racism and hate crimes have to be penalized. This video is the utmost and harshest example of anti-semitism.

"The short-term resolution is penalization and the long-term one is education. We live in a Turkey, where an ethnic group is instilled into little brains of children as enemies, which is the most upsetting of all.

"We are only complaining as a society, we cannot do anything. It is a source of distress that neither political nor legal actions have been taken to stop it."

Questions of Paylan

In his Parliamentary question addressing Minister of Interior Soylu, HDP MP Paylan has asked a series of questions including the following:

• While the video in question was being recorded, under whose care were those children and where were they? Were those children accompanied by their parents or families?
• For what purpose and as part of which organization were those children, who were made to chant "Death to Jews" in the video, together? Was this organization held within the knowledge of your Ministry and the related Civilian Authorities?
• Were the child abusers who made children in the video chant slogans containing hate speech and incited them to commit hate crimes identified? Has an effective investigation been conducted against these people?
• Will any investigations be launched against the families of the children who were openly seen to be incited to abuse and crime in the video?
• Will effective, comprehensive and urgent investigations be launched against the officials of your Ministry who have negligence in the committal of this crime?
• Are there any ongoing works undertaken by your Ministry to prevent hate speech, hate crime and child abuse? What precautions are you thinking of taking to prevent similar incidents in the future?

(PT/SD)