Belgian city says its carnival depicting Jewish caricatures is ‘just fun’ after it was compared to Nazi anti-Semitism
- Mayor of Aalst has defended its controversial carnival with Jewish caricatures
- Mayor’s spokesman insisted it was ‘free speech’ and did not wish to harm anyone
- Comes after its UN status was stripped after complaints of antisemitism in 2019
A Belgian city has defended its controversial carnival which depicts Jewish caricatures, saying it is ‘just fun’.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of Aalst, Christoph D’Haese, insisted the event is ‘just our humour… just fun.’
The annual parade made headlines when it became the first cultural tradition to be stripped of its UN heritage status late last year.
The float featured two men with sidelocks and crooked noses wearing streimels, a fur hat favoured by some orthodox Jews, while sitting atop piles of cash
The town of Alast, in Belgium, was blasted for ‘Nazi-style’ anti-Semitism after this float depicting hurtful Jewish stereotypes took part in its annual carnival
The annual Aalst carnival was taken off UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list during a 24-nation meeting in Colombia’s capital city on December 13.
The mayor’s spokesman Peter Van den Bossche has defended the carnival, telling the BBC: ‘It’s our parade, our humour, people can do whatever they want.’
‘It’s a weekend of freedom of speech,’ he added.
Van den Bossche also insisted ‘there isn’t a movement behind it’ and ‘we don’t wish harm to anyone’.
The annual Aalst carnival sparked international outrage when a float, dubbed ‘Nazi-style’, was paraded through Aalst in East Flanders last year.
The mayor’s spokesman Peter Van den Bossche has defended the carnival, telling the BBC: ‘It’s our parade, our humour, people can do whatever they want’
Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture, said after the ruling that the festival can continue but without being associated with them as it is ‘mockery of some communities’
The float featured two men with sidelocks and crooked noses wearing streimels, a fur hat favoured by some orthodox Jews, while sitting atop piles of cash. It was created by the Vismooil’n group, which regularly participates in the Aalst carnival.
Ernesto Ottone, UNESCO’s assistant director-general for culture, said after the ruling that the festival can continue but without being associated with them as it is ‘mockery of some communities’.
The float failed to take actions on warnings that would ‘draw a line’ on what floats and displays are acceptable, according to Mr Ottone.
Aalst Mayor Christoph D’Haese has previously hit back against the carnival’s ‘grotesque’ criticism and claimed it was not his job to police humour.
He said: ‘We are on a very dangerous slippery slope when people will be able to decide what can be laughed at.’
In a statement, defiant city hall chiefs were unapologetic about the depiction of Jews in the annual parade
Belgium’s Forum of Jewish Organisations, who likened the parade’s depiction of Jews to that seen in Nazi propaganda said: ‘This means that any future anti-Semitic excesses will no longer be legitimized by this UN organization.’
In a statement, defiant city hall chiefs were unapologetic about the depiction of Jews in the annual parade.
‘The people of Aalst have had it with the grotesque allegations,’ the statement said.
‘We are not anti-Semites or racists. Whoever says we are does so in bad faith. Aalst will always remain the capital of ridicule and satire. Come what may, we will stand by our humorists.
‘The people of Aalst are the bravest. That is why we are taking the initiative and walking away from UNESCO recognition.’