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May 6, 2016

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Police investigate Holocaust denial leaflets plastered around Scottish universities on Hitler’s birthday

  • Posters and flyers were found at Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities
  • They were entitled The Greatest Swindle of All Time and gave link to ‘Holocaust Fraud’ website
  • Jewish students say they feel increasingly uncomfortable on campus
  • Police have been looking into the appearance of the leaflets 

Police have begun an investigation after anti-Semitic literature was discovered at a university.

Posters and flyers denying the Holocaust were found at Edinburgh University on the anniversary of Hitler’s birth last month.

More were discovered the following day pinned to a notice board at Glasgow University.

Police have begun an investigation after posters and flyers denying the Holocaust were found at Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities

Police have begun an investigation after posters and flyers denying the Holocaust were found at Edinburgh and Glasgow Universities

The posters, entitled The Greatest Swindle of all Time, included the quotes: ‘In war, truth is the first casualty’ and ‘Given the nonsense that is turned out daily by the Holocaust industry, the wonder is that there are so few skeptics [sic].’

Underneath, a link to a web page that purports to uncover the ‘Holocaust Fraud’ was provided.

Last night, the Jewish Student Chaplain in Scotland warned that students are increasingly feeling uncomfortable on campus.

A Jewish student group said it hopes the incident will make people aware of the scale of anti-Semitism in Scottish institutions.

The posters were first found on a notice board in Edinburgh University’s King’s Buildings on April 20.

A university spokesman said yesterday: ‘We are removing the posters from campus wherever we find them and taking steps to identify the distributor. We have informed the police of our concerns about these posters.’

At Glasgow University, posters were discovered in the Boyd Orr Building.

Louis Faber posted a photo of one on social media and wrote: ‘Absolutely disgusted to find these flyers attached to Glasgow University buildings as I walked to my Jewish Students Society AGM.’

He added: ‘This is living proof anti-Semitism is more alive than ever on our British university campuses and across the globe. Universities must now take these issues seriously.’

The posters included statements claimed to have been made by US author Professor Norman Finkelstein, best known for his controversial book The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering.

A Glasgow University spokesman said it was possible posters there were placed by some from outside the university.

He said a ‘small number of leaflets containing objectionable comment on the Holocaust’ were found.

A spokesman at Glasgow University (pictured) said it was possible posters there were placed by someone from outside the university

A spokesman at Glasgow University (pictured) said it was possible posters there were placed by someone from outside the university

He added: ‘The University of Glasgow has a zero tolerance policy on racism, anti-Semitism and the distribution and display of materials that are likely to cause offence.’

Rabbi Yossi Bodenheim, Jewish Student Chaplain in Scotland, said: ‘Students are not feeling comfortable on campus and it’s happening more and more.’

Commenting on the Edinburgh posters he said: ‘According to my understanding, it was the date of Hitler’s birthday it was put up. That is very offensive.’

Lea Balint, president of the Glasgow Jewish Students Society, said: ‘We have never actually encountered such open and hostile anti-Semitism before on campus.’

He added: ‘We are hoping this might be an eye-opener that there is a problem at universities.’

Andy Peel, Edinburgh University Students’ Association vice president of societies and activities, said: ‘Anti-Semitism will not be tolerated anywhere in our venues and we fully support the University of Edinburgh’s investigation into how this material appeared.’

A police spokesman said: ‘Police in Edinburgh have been made aware of concerns regarding a communication displayed in the University of Edinburgh and surrounding areas. Inquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding this.’

Police in Glasgow said investigations had been carried out into the Glasgow University posters, but no crime was established.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3575274/Police-investigate-Holocaust-denial-leaflets-plastered-Scottish-universities-Hitler-s-birthday.html#ixzz47teAAlRI
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