Racism Report 2003 - Zara

Page 42 Cases: Against ZARA / FGA / IMÖ Racism Report 2003193administrative fine of EUR 220 for an offence against public decency and disturbing the peace. An appeal was madeimmediately. Proceedings are still pending.A woman from Bosnia was continually insulted by her neighbour („Shit Yugos“). When the neighbour mether or her children in the lift, he got out. Helping Hands was finally contacted when the neighbour put a note ontheir flat door talking about „new housing culture“ and accusing the Bosnian family of theft. Helping Hands Grazwrote a letter to the neighbour with the request to desist. Since then the situation has been calm.Against ZARA / FGA / IMÖThe wider publicity for ZARA and the larger media presence of ZARA staff members in 2003 was accompaniedby the fact that they themselves became the target of (racist) attacks.194195F., a ZARA counsellor answered the phone to a caller who wanted to speak to a staff member who wasMs.Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitnot in the office that day. Ms. F. explained the situation and how she could still contact the staff member. The callerthen asked Ms. F., whose first language is not German, where she came from and asked to speak to an Austrian sinceMs. F. had supposedly been impolite and aggressive. The caller also said that Ms. F. would not understand the „verycomplicated legal problems“ she was calling about. The fact is that Ms. F. is a highly-qualified lawyer.A., a ZARA counsellor was called on his home telephone and called a „Nigger friend“. Next day Mr. A.Mr.Zivilcourage Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitfound a letter directly in front of his door addressed „Nigger friend“. The same evening Mr. A. was repeatedly phonedbetween 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and again called „Nigger friend“. A few days later his brother, who has nothing to do withZARA, was phoned all night long and similarly abused. After the police were informed the caller stopped harassingMr. A. and his relatives.196197unknown woman phoned ZARA four times within three hours. She gave her name as „Mrs. Till“ andAnZivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitinsulted the counsellor: „Criminals! Idiots! Foreigners out! Why do I have to suffer here because you‘re a foreignarsehole?“woman left the following message on the answering machine of the ZARA counselling office: „TheseAZivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-ArbeitNiggers should be harmed!“198F., a ZARA counsellor, answered the phone to an unknown woman. The caller asked who ZARA coun-Ms.Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitselled. To the answer, „Victims and witnesses of racism“ she asked: „And who counsels the Austrians?“ Ms. F. answeredthat ZARA naturally also counselled Austrians if there were victims or witnesses of racism. The caller then said,„Foreigners aren‘t very charismatic for Austrians“ and asked Ms. F., who speaks German with a foreign accent, whereshe came from. The ZARA counsellor answered that she came from Argentina and the caller asked, „So why don‘t yougo to Spain?“ and finished the call.199staff members have several times received anonymous letters with numerous photocopied articles onZARAZivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitthe subject of Africans, drug dealers etc. from media such as News, Kronen Zeitung, Kurier and other newspapers.200201S. called the ZARA office to point out „the other side“: a „black African“ had been rude to him in aHerrZivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitshop in the Lindengasse in Vienna and insulted him as „You Nazi!“ Mr. S. said that this came under racist discriminationbecause he was not actually a Nazi and he was now very annoyed. After a longer discussion he put down thephone.the contact form on the ZARA homepage - apart from constructive contributions and enquiries - extre-ViaZivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeitmely aggressive and racist messages also repeatedly arrive for the ZARA team (Example: Maybe YOU have a prettyblonde daughter who even next week will be raped by two Turks on the street..? That, or something like it, I WISHfor ‚people‘ like you...“).