Racist Violence in Europe

All over Europe, asylum-seekers, immigrants and minorities are finding themselves increasingly under violent attack. Causing death, injury, destruction and fear, the perpetrators are often applauded by locals while the police stand passively by. At other times, large numbers of ordinary citizens stand up against the violence and racism, and the authorities take firm action. Who are the perpetrators? What are their motives? To what extent are right-wing or neo-Nazi organisations involved? How do the authorities and the police respond, and to what effect? What are the roles of the media, public opinion and anti-racist movements? What can be done to stop the violence? These are questions addressed by some of Europe's leading experts on racism and racist violence. Some of the answers given shatter conventional wisdom about racist violence. This volume is the first to focus specifically on the violent aspects of racism in a European context.