The singer Gil Ofarim accuses the employee of a hotel in Leipzig of anti-Semitism and files two criminal charges. An expert opinion now names new details.
Update from Wednesday, October 27th, 2021, 12.30 p.m.: The Leipzig hotel, where the alleged anti-Semitism scandal surrounding singer Gil Ofarim is said to have occurred, declared last week that no labor law measures would be taken against the suspected employee. An internal investigation now apparently brings new details to light. The weekly newspaper Die Zeit reports that none of the witnesses questioned by a law firm that evening heard an anti-Semitic insult against Ofarim.
Gil Ofarim: Witnesses deny anti-Semitic insult
The report refers to the final document of the responsible law firm Pauka & Link, which was commissioned by the hotel. In contrast to the statements about anti-Semitic insults that had not taken place, the witnesses stated, according to the report, that the singer had instead got into a conflict with a hotel employee because, from Ofarim’s perspective, he had given preferential treatment to them. Ofarim’s Star of David was not mentioned, according to the final report.
A report by the expert George A. Rauscher, who commissioned the law firm and which the weekly newspaper also reports on, also comes to the conclusion that the video recordings of the Leipzig hotel were probably not tampered with. Ofarim himself did not comment on the new allegations or the video recordings, according to the report.
Update from Sunday, October 24th, 2021, 4 p.m.: After the suspected anti-Semitic incident involving the musician Gil Ofarim in a Leipzig hotel, the Central Council of Jews in Germany reported a large number of hate messages. In the past few days, anti-Semitic comments have “broken in” on the Central Council, President Josef Schuster told Bild am Sonntag.
However, the skepticism expressed by many sides regarding the case should not lead to more anti-Semitism. Society and politics must show moral courage and “actively stand by the side of those affected, wherever they are attacked,” said Schuster. Those affected should “not get the feeling that they cannot report the incidents and are left alone”.
Gil Ofarim: Oliver Pocher reacts to suspicion of anti-Semitism with crude parody
Update from Saturday, October 23, 2021, 7.46 a.m.: After the anti-Semitism allegations by singer Gil Ofarim against a Leipzig hotel, comedian Oliver Pocher has now spoken out. He revealed his opinion on the Ofarim cause in a parody video on Instagram.
In said questionable video, Pocher – like Ofarim – films himself and strokes his hair: “Folks, something just happened to me, I want to share it with you,” Pocher speaks into the camera. “I’m sitting here at my house in front of the door and can’t get in, the door is closed.” The sign on it is his T-shirt, which says “Marvel”. “I’m just shocked because I’m discriminated against, excluded and only reduced to my religion and my status as a superhero!”
It is important to him to talk about what he has experienced. After all, Pocher has struggled with the situation all his life: “I am Jehovah’s Witness. I know what it means as a child to stand in front of doors and not get in. ”Ofarim himself had filed two criminal charges against an employee of a Leipzig hotel last week, as the Leipzig public prosecutor announced on Friday.
Gil Ofarim files charges of false suspicion
Update from Friday, October 22nd, 2021, 11:50 a.m.: The singer Gil Ofarim filed two criminal charges against an employee of a Leipzig hotel during his interrogation last week in Munich. As the Leipzig public prosecutor announced on Friday, the musician filed another complaint on charges of false suspicion.
So far it was only known that the singer had filed charges for “all possible offenses” in relation to the anti-Semitism allegations. The background is that the hotel employee reported Ofarim for defamation. The Tagesspiegel had previously reported.
Gil Ofarim comments on allegations after the investigation report – hotel makes decision
Update from Thursday, October 21, 2021, 9:11 p.m.: In a contribution by Stern TV, singer Gil Ofarim comments on the latest developments. The Leipzig hotel was also invited to take part in the broadcast and the conversation, but decided against it.
Ofarim asserts in the broadcast that he has truthfully described the events at all times. He understands that the video recordings have raised doubts about his statement. However, that does not change the correctness of his statement. He always wears his chain with the Star of David and never took it off before visiting the hotel.
Gil Ofarim on Stern TV: All video recordings from the hotel should be published
The video footage didn’t show the entire situation either, Ofarim told Stern TV. Should there be any suspicion that he only tightened the chain later, this must also be shown on the video recordings. The corresponding pictures, asked Ofarim, should then also be published.
Whether the chain was visible or not has to be determined. Ofarim makes it clear, however, that – whether the chain is visible or not – the sentences he quoted fell as he had reported: First, a person in the lobby shouted “Pack the star!”. When Ofarim was at the counter, the employee repeated this sentence to him. The man at the counter also took the check-in form from his hands when Ofarim announced that he would contact his manager. At that moment he also said to Ofarim: “Are you threatening me?” The hotel guests who were standing next to him must also have observed what was happening. “I can’t imagine how you shouldn’t have heard that,” said the singer.
Studio guest at Stern TV on the anti-Semitism debate: Is Gil Ofarim a credible person?
Ofarim then knew for himself that there was nothing he could do and left the hotel lobby. This was followed by the Instagram video that made the public aware of the events.
Philipp Peyman Engel from the Jüdischen Allgemeine was also a studio guest for Stern TV’s contribution. He is personally acquainted with Ofarim and he considers him to be a fundamentally credible person. However, if the events did not take place as described, this would be “a catastrophe for the fight against anti-Semitism”. In future anti-Semitic incidents, this would always lead to the suspicion that truths were being fudged.
Anti-Semitism in the Westin Leipzig: Management report finds “no clues”
Update from Wednesday, October 20, 2021, 2:15 p.m.: The singer Gil Ofarim is said to have been insulted anti-Semitically by an employee of the Westin Hotel in Leipzig. The employee asked him to pack “his star”. What was meant was the chain of a Star of David, which the singer wore around his neck at the time of the alleged incident.
The latest results of the investigation of the incident are now available, reports the editorial network Germany. Accordingly, the hotel management sees no need to take labor law measures against the accused employee. There would be no evidence of the incident described. The investigation report comprises 118 pages. To this end, lawyers obtained statements from witnesses and examined material from security cameras. The employee on leave should now return to the Westin Hotel.
Musician Gil Ofarim reacts to new allegations – “Would do it again”
Update from Tuesday, October 19, 2021, 9.30 a.m.: Gil Ofarim commented on the new development after his anti-Semitism allegations against a Leipzig hotel. “I knew what kind of waves that was making,” he said on Monday (October 18, 2021) to TV broadcaster Bild Live: “That I might be turned from victim to perpetrator and that I allegedly lied, that’s why I don’t have any Thoughts and honestly, I wouldn’t have thought that either. “
Ofarim said he could understand that, from video evidence, it would look like he hadn’t worn the star. “What is wrong. I always wore it. ”Ofarim confirmed to the Leipziger Volkszeitung on Monday that he had worn the chain in the hotel. “What has been shown so far are not the complete video recordings from the hotel. I ask those who have published these pictures to show everything, ”he told the LVZ. He has already performed many times in Leipzig, something like this has never happened to him in the city and he is sorry that the whole region is now being lumped together. “But that’s what happened to me and as a Jew in Germany I can’t just shut up.”
About the incident in the hotel he described, the singer told Bild: “Compared to many other Jews, I opened my mouth and said something and resisted.” He added: “Everyone should open their mouths. I would do it all over again. “
Gil Ofarim: singer in need of explanation – new videos surfaced
First report from Sunday, October 17, 2021, 10:45 a.m .: Leipzig – The incident in a Leipzig hotel is still causing a sensation. This time, however, new findings from the police raise questions. The singer Gil Ofarim made serious allegations in early October. In a video on Instagram he reported on anti-Semitism in the hotel “The Westin Leipzig”. He tried to check into the hotel and was not served for a long time.
When he asked a hotel employee about it, he initially did not respond. Then someone from one corner said “Pack your star”. This meant the Star of David that the musician wears around his neck in a clearly visible manner in the video.
In the social networks, Gil Ofarim was shocked by the anti-Semitic incident he described. Many people then showed their solidarity online. A rally was also held in front of the hotel. Several advertisements are now running. On the one hand, Ofarim himself filed a complaint against a hotel employee of “The Westin Leipzig”. But the employee also filed a complaint and described the incident differently than the musician. Now video recordings provided the police with new information.
Gil Ofarim: Accusation of anti-Semitism against hotel in Leipzig – police with new findings
According to information from the Leipziger Volkszeitung (LVZ) it is about evaluations of surveillance cameras in the hotel. The recordings have now been processed using special software.
The improved videos now raise the question of whether Gil Ofarim was wearing his chain openly when he checked in at “The Westin Leipzig”. In the meantime, information has come to light from investigative circles that raises serious doubts. Another problem: The recordings should have no sound for data protection reasons.
The prosecutor has not yet commented on the new information. In response to the newspaper’s inquiries, it was only pointed out that the investigations had not yet been concluded and that there were several video recordings.
Gil Ofarim comments on new investigation details
In the social networks, singer Gil Ofarim initially did not comment on the video recordings. Instead, he replied to an inquiry from Bild am Sonntag: “This is not about the chain. It’s actually about something much bigger. Since I am often seen on television with the Star of David, I was insulted because of it. ”At the beginning of October he was seen on ZDF at a concert matinee in honor of Giora Feidman. When he appeared, he wore a clearly visible chain with a Star of David. (slo / nc)
