CIDI registered a total of 135 antisemitic incidents in 2020. This is the same number as in 2018, and considerably less than the 182 incidents registered in the peak year 2019. Incidents on social media are not included in these figures. Since the Netherlands was in lockdown for most of 2020, the number of incidents is still worrying. The number of physical meetings and interaction in public was quite limited. Compared to the previous year, considerably fewer incidents were registered in the public space. In domains that were not affected by the lockdown, such as written (digital) communications, the number of incidents remained comparable to previous years. Although the path taken is hopeful, conclusions from the figures must be drawn with caution.
The total of 135 incidents does not include antisemitic statements on social media, where the number is much higher, according to a study that CIDI had carried out in 2020. A
study commissioned by CIDI in 2019 saw 747 antisemitic tweets in Dutch. Another 286 websites, blogs and forums hosted on Dutch servers were found to contain antisemitic statements. Anti-Semitism even occurs structurally on 78% of those sites.
A closer look at the incidents from 2020 indicates that antisemitism has become qualitatively more toxic. Beliefs in conspiracy myths about ‘Jewish rule’, even the accusation that Jews created the coronavirus, are ubiquitous – especially, but not exclusively, on social media. Right-wing extremism appears to be benefiting from social unrest about the corona measures, while the intelligence services see no decline in Muslim fundamentalism – two forms of extremism in which hatred of Jews often forms the ideological core.
Each incident is described briefly and anonymously in the report separately.
