The Simon Wiesenthal Center has sent a letter to Norwegian Minister of Justice Grete Faremo, following the hate crime on Monday, in which a 16-year-old Jewish student in Oslo was branded with a red-hot coin at a school barbecue.
“We are shocked to learn of the fire branding of a Jewish boy at an Oslo secondary school barbecue on Monday,” the Center wrote Faremo. “Apparently, this child has been the subject of anti-Semitic bullying and violence for the past two years, reportedly, because his father is Israeli.
“What is even more astonishing is that, despite the mother’s report of assaults on her son to NRK radio evening news in 2010, there has been no reaction by the school, the police or governmental authorities.
“The boy has stated that he must stay clear of Norwegian and Muslim children and hide his parentage to avoid continued anti-Semitic attacks.
“Madam Minister,” wrote the Center, “these young school hate mongers are the Breivik racists of Norway’s future. You have a responsibility to protect every threatened child and, especially, this victim targeted simply for being Jewish.
“The silence of the school, the police and your government is too reminiscent of another Norway, under the WWII Nazi collaborator, Quisling.
“Our Center urges your immediate investigation of this case and protective and judicial action, as continued silence is tantamount to complicit,” concluded the letter.
The Simon Wiesenthal Center has demanded that Norwegian authorities take immediate action against the perpetrators of anti-Semitic hate.
“Just what else must take place before school authorities stand up for rights of a Jewish child in a Norwegian school?” asked Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Wiesenthal Center.
“We demand that authorities hold accountable the perpetrators of this hate crime and those in charge of educating Norway’s school children offer a safe environment for every student-including Jewish kids,” Cooper added.