The 27th of January marks 77 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau extermination camp. On the occasion, Heinz Bierbaum, President of the EL said the following:
“Today, we commemorate Holocaust’s horror. We pay tribute to its survivors and the 6 million Jews and other victims who perished in the Nazi era.
During the last decade, the far-right has been accelerating. It is leveraging multiple crises- including the COVID-19 for its own interests. Under Nazi rule, millions of people were disenfranchised, tormented, and massacred. Today, we witness the use of Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, and racism to propagate hate and fear, from street attacks and mobilizations to government offices.
The rise of the far-right represents a real threat to our democracy. However, we remain vigilant in providing the only alternative: one that protects human rights and ensures a world free of discrimination, fascism, and conflict.
The fight continues. As European Left, we are strongly devoted to anti-fascism and condemn all forms of antisemitism, racism, and intolerance. ”
