CFI Vice-Chairman, John Howell OBE MP, this week in the Council of Europe raised concerns about the increase in antisemitism in Europe, in a question to the President of Portugal.
Mr Howell said: “On my recent visit to Lisbon with the Council of Europe, I witnessed the Jewish community employing heavy guards to guard their synagogues. I’d always associated Portugal with being a Jewish friendly place”.
He asked: “What does this say about the current rise of antisemitism in Europe and what part does that play in Portugal?”
President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in response: “There is no antisemitism in Portugal. That’s the case today although perhaps not in the past. One of the stains of the history of Portugal has been the persecution of Jews. We’ve recognised out faults of the past, and today we see a development of the Jewish community of Portugal, particularly in Porto and Lisbon to a lesser extent, as well as inland as well, where there’s a longstanding Jewish tradition. In my own family on my mother’s side, we had a strong Jewish identity”.
President Sousa underlined: “When I hear about antisemitism, I have similar feelings as for all other forms of discrimination. Any form of discrimination is wrong and it must be fought determinedly….Any form of discrimination must be eradicated”.
