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Wiesenthal Centre to Belgian Interior Minister: "Acknowledge Young Scouts' Resistance Against Skinhead Assault and Apprehend Their Attackers"

In a letter to Belgian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, Patrick Dewael, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, reported that "one of our Centre's members in Belgium has informed us of a shocking incident that took place last week in Sart, near Spa in the Ardennes", continuing, "Our correspondent's 14-year old son and his fellow Scout group were assaulted, while hiking, by a group of Belgian Skinheads. Threatened with an axe, they were ordered to make a Hitler salute. As the Scouts refused, the boots of one of them were cut off with the axe."

The letter added, "The Skinheads then asked if there were 'Arabs or yellow [Asians]' where the Scouts came from, warning that they would come there 'to smash their heads open'. The Skinheads then left, stealing a rucksack, the Scouts reached their camp and their leaders called the police."

Samuels noted that, "as this Scout group is of multiple ethnic origin, their solidarity in resisting the neo-Nazis shows remarkable heroism. On the other hand, apparently, the Skinheads implicated have been identified, but no measures have yet been taken to detain them."

The Wiesenthal Centre called upon the Minister "to see that the Royal Prosecutor takes prompt action to arrest and punish these racists while, at the same time, awarding the young Scouts the public acknowledgement they well merit."

For further information, please contact Shimon Samuels at +33.609.77.01.58.