Wednesday, July 23rd 2014

Protest Against Anti-Israel March in Vienna on July 26

Broad Alliance to Rally Against Iran-Sponsored Quds-Day

STOP THE BOMB is part of the „Alliance Against Quds-Day in Vienna“ which will be holding a rally on Saturday, July 26, 4:30pm at Lugeck, to protest against a march of supporters of the Iranian regime in Vienna’s city center. The Alliance takes a stand against anti-Israel and antisemitic incitement and includes groups across the spectrum: the Jewish Community Vienna, the Green Students Organization, the Social Democratic LGBT Organization, Homosexual Initiative Vienna, Action Against Antisemitism in Austria, the Kurdish Society for Education, Integration and Culture, Bnai Brith, Women’s Zionist Organization - European Council of WIZO Federations and others. Holocaust survivors Vilma Neuwirth and Rudi Gelbard will be speaking at the rally as will MP Marco Schreuder, Green Party Whip in the Federal Chamber of the Austrian Parliament and Spokesperson for the Green Gay, Lesbian and Transgender Chapter. Renown writer Robert Schindel sends a support message.

Quds-Day was introduced in 1979 by Ayatollah Khomeini to call for the annihilation of Israel. Every year since at the end of Ramadan Shiite Islamists and their sympathizers around the world march for the extermination of the Jewish State.

Stefan Schaden, spokesperson for STOP THE BOMB in Austria, underlines the need to protest given the current situation: „Israel is currently being attacked from Gaza by Islamist terror groups which are close allies of the Iranian regime. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are able to escalate the situation because of the massive armament by Tehran.“ Stephan Grigat, Scientific Director of STOP THE BOMB, points to the continuity of the Iranian regime’s antisemitism: „Also under the purportedly ‚moderate‘ President Rouhani the rulers in Tehran have called for Israel’s annihilation. The ‚Supreme Leader‘ Ali Khamenei again questioned the reality of the Holocaust on occasion of the Iranian New Year.“

On Thursday, July 24, 7pm, Lindengasse 40, Vienna, the Alliance will be hosting a lecture (in German) on the backgrounds of Quds-Day and the character of the Iranian regime. The speakers will be Heribert Schiedel (Documentation Centre of Austrian Resistance), Soma Mohammad Assad (political scientist) and Stephan Grigat. Further information at gegendenalqudstagwien.wordpress.com/against-quds-day-in-vienna/