Sylt bar takes legal action after racism scandal

“We do not tolerate this deeply antisocial behavior. We never have and we never will. That is why we are now taking action against it with all means at our disposal.” They are still shocked and deeply dismayed. “Racism and fascism have no place in our society.” The bar owners assessed their own behavior at the time of the scandal as follows: “If our staff had witnessed such behavior at any time, we would have reacted immediately. We would have immediately informed the police and filed a criminal complaint. We have now been able to do that.”

• More on this: Outrage after video of racist shouting on Sylt island

In a video just a few seconds long that went viral on Thursday and is said to have been made at Pentecost, young people can be seen and heard shouting racist slogans to the tune of the more than 20-year-old party hit “L’amour Toujours” by Gigi D’Agostino. They sing “Germany for the Germans – foreigners out!” in an apparently completely unashamed and exuberant manner. One man makes a gesture that is reminiscent of the Hitler salute. None of the bystanders seem to be bothered by this. State security is investigating for incitement to hatred and the use of unconstitutional symbols. Politicians have expressed their shock.

Scholz: “disgusting and unacceptable”

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) described the slogans on Friday as “disgusting” and “unacceptable”. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) told the newspapers of the Funke Media Group: “Anyone who shouts Nazi slogans like ‘Germany for the Germans – foreigners out’ is a disgrace for Germany.” Sylt is not an isolated case. On Friday it was announced that a similar case had also occurred in Lower Saxony at Pentecost. Racist slogans were also shouted at the shooting festival in Löningen, including to “L’amour Toujours”, and the state security service is also investigating there.