Yitzhak Yochanan Melamed is professor of philosophy at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA. When Israeli ran through Bonn Court Garden during a visit to Germany, a 20-year-old hit him from head. The German with Palestinian roots pushed and insulted him and called among or things: "No Jew in Germany!" When police arrived, 20-year-old fled, Melamed persecuted him, and police mistaken him for assailant. He did not stop at request and fought against arrest, police say. Melamed denies it. The officials overwhelmed Melamed and beat him in face, it says in a communication from police. At guard, cops would have tried to get him off a complaint, says Melamed. If he complained, y would accuse him of resisting, cops said.
Online Time: Mr. Melamed, EineWoche has passed since incident in Garden of Bonn. How are you doing?
Yitzhak Yochanan Melamed: I am fine. Auchkörperlich, I feel much better again. I have received many letters undMails mainly from Germany and or countries, in which mirFreunde, but also completely foreign people have expressed ir sympathy. I am very grateful for that. There were also mails from Muslims living in Germany, from Turks and Arabs. There were also einigeMails in which senders reported to me about ir experiences with police violence. And I've gotten some hate news when Auchnur very few.
Online Time: One of se mails you have published on Facebook. It says, for example, "You bloody Jews are still crying about a time that ended 73 years ago." How did sure react?
Melamed: The mails were partly sehrhässlich and disgusting. They came from racists of all kinds. Anor wolltemich, for example, convinced that policemen involved in assault are of Turkish or Arab origin. A friend of DerUni Bonn advised me to forward news and make it available to DenBehörden. But I stress once again: it was really very, very few mails of this kind. However, Esnatürlich is important to deal with se crazy people.
"Germany has a problem with police violence"Online Time: The four policemen wurdenmittlerweile transferred. Have officials now been at Ihnenentschuldigt?
Melamed: One of m apologized to me at police station after DemVorfall. But right after that, hater also tells this nonsense: I would have resisted, even though I have völligpassiv behavior. However, I have received keineEntschuldigung from or policemen to this day. I had a chat with two friends, beideAnwälte for human rights. They said, "Welcome to club. That's it, wasPolizisten do everywhere. " According to mails I have received, I am sure that Germany has a problem with police violence, which has not been discussed yet. It is not same level as in US. But re are is a problem and I think it is necessary that this is also called.
Online Time: How did you perceive DenAngreifer, who hit you with Tippa from head?
Melamed: I had impression that an was very simple person. Apparently, witnesses have testified that he has sold drugs in this park (he is known to police for drug offences, note d. Red.). At police station, I asked officials if I could talk to him. I wanted to ask him what he thought of Genaudabei. But that was not possible.
Online Time: As a sign of solidarity, city of Bonn organised day of Tippa on Thursday. What does this action mean to you?
Melamed: This is a very wichtigeAktion that I very much support. The situation for Jews in Germany Istderzeit worrying. Many are afraid to go outside with tipper. That is not acceptable, and so it must not go on. I war1993 or 1994 for first time in Germany, come here two to three times a year. About six years ago, people had erstmalsgewarnt me to wear a tipper outside on street. I've had selbstnie a problem so far. However, I have also noticed that situation has changed in recent months. The atmosphere is Gewalttätigergeworden.
Date Of Update: 20 July 2018, 12:02
