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30% of French people 'racist'
21/03/2006 18:16 - (SA)
Paris - Some 30% of French people consider themselves at least somewhat racist, according to a report submitted to the government on Tuesday, prompting concerns that racism was becoming socially acceptable.
The figure was up from 25% a year ago - according to an annual poll on France's attitudes toward racism - commissioned by the National Consultative Commission on Human Rights.
The poll took on extra significance this year, after riots in depressed suburbs between police and youths from largely immigrant families.
It also came amid heightened concerns about anti-Semitism in France after the brutal kidnapping and killing of a young Jewish man, south of Paris, in January.
Anti-racist sentiment dropping
The human rights commission expressed alarm at the "lifting of a taboo" against racist inclinations, and noted an "important drop" in the overall sensitivity to racist issues.
While the report noted that racist and anti-Semitic crimes decreased overall in 2005, it said anti-racist sentiment also appeared to be on the decline.
Three in ten respondents considered themselves racist or somewhat racist. Only 32% said they would report racist behaviour to the police, down from 50% the year before.
Thirty-nine percent said businesses convicted of racist acts should be boycotted, down from 53% in 2004.
Anti-Semitic crimes jump to 43%
The reports said that racist or anti-Semitic violence and threats were down last year to 974 cases compared to 1 574 in 2004. Anti-Semitic crimes saw the greatest drop - 48%.
Justice minister said that at the same time, the number of convictions for racist and anti-Semitic crimes jumped to 43% in 2005.
Pascal Clement said: "Our society as a whole has perhaps not been vigilant enough in the face of racism and anti-Semitism."
While the human rights commission praised the overall police response to the crimes, it said more could be done to combat and prosecute racism.
The CSA polling agency interviewed 1 000 people nationwide by telephone in mid-November - during the suburban riots - and in mid-February. No margin of error was given.
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