Hundreds offer their cars to drive migrants from Greece to rest of Europe

Hundreds of people gathered in Brussels on Monday to demand migrants trapped in Greece be relocated to the rest of Europe as they had been promised, and many offered to drive them with their own cars.

In a protest organized by Amnesty International, cars drove beside the European Commission and Council headquarters waving flags that read "Let's bring them here" and showing pictures of migrants on the passenger seat windows.

Source: EFE

EU human rights agency: rise in anti-migrant attacks across Europe

A European Union human rights agency on Friday said that racist attacks and legal obstacles are an increasing problem for the international community's ever-growing migrant population.

The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) report came as EU leaders gathered in Bratislava to discuss possible reforms for the bloc.

Martina Huber, a co-author of the report told EFE that they had documented a clear increase in the number of hate crimes being committed against migrant communities.

The report detailed Nazi graffiti in Austria, an increase of online racist comments on social networks in Bulgaria as well as the Hungarian government's desire to classify immigration as a threat to society.

In Germany, attacks against refugees occur daily, while incidents at asylum centers are recorded every three days, said the anti-racist Amadeu Antonio Foundation.

"Many cases go unreported," explained the FRA, "especially because the victims are afraid of the police."

It added that many refugees do not want to report the crime in fear that it may affect their asylum status, which can take a long-time to process.

Germany registered 31 injuries in 25 attacks against refugees or asylum centers in Aug alone.

Huber said that the increase in migrant numbers bears no relation to the rise in attacks, but rather that they were a result of a polarized society propagated by the messages of certain political parties.

Although migrant numbers in 2016 have yet to reach those registered during the waves of people entering the EU in autumn and winter last year, Europe remains the target destination for many refugees.

Entries into Bulgaria, for example, doubled in Aug compared to the figures registered in July.

In the same month, 17,400 people arrived on the coast of Italy, while 11,300 have set up camp on the islands of Greece, the report said.

Most of the refugees entering the east of Europe are fleeing war torn countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, whereas many of those crossing the Mediterranean Sea are fleeing persecution in Nigeria, Sudan and Eritrea.

Source: EFE

Congo-born priest in Germany quits over racist threats

Olivier Ndjimbi-Tshiende, 66, told parishioners of his decision during a church service on Sunday in Zorneding, a small town near Munich in Bavaria.

A statement on the parish website (in German) said: "We are shocked and saddened by these [death] threats." He began preaching in the town in 2012.

Tensions had arisen between him and two local conservative CSU politicians.

Fr Ndjimbi-Tshiende criticised language used by local CSU leader Sylvia Boher in October. She had spoken of an "invasion" by Eritrean "refugees from military service".

The surge in asylum seekers entering the EU includes many Eritreans fleeing military service, to avoid years spent in deplorable conditions for little or no pay.

After Fr Ndjimbi-Tshiende's intervention a CSU friend of Ms Boher, Johann Haindl, lashed out at the priest with a racist insult.

Both CSU politicians were heavily criticised over the affair and resigned from their party posts.

Police investigation

The Christian Social Union (CSU), based in Bavaria, is politically allied with Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU).

Police are now investigating a suspected crime of racial incitement and abuse targeting Fr Ndjimbi-Tshiende.

Germany is struggling to accommodate record numbers of non-EU migrants - 1.1 million asylum seekers were registered last year.

German media say the priest, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, had received five death threats.

An online petition (in German) has been launched urging him to stay in Zorneding. But the Catholic Church Archbishopric in Munich plans to transfer him to a new post on 1 April.

The local broadcaster BR says that in 2014 a school project to help 35 child refugees in Zorneding triggered a barrage of xenophobic emails.

Source: BBC