Argentine Parliament Gets Resolutions Asking Action Against Anti-semites

A demand for government action to combat an outburst of anti-Semitic vandalism in and near Buenos Aires had the support of both the government party and the opposition today.

Three Senators of the UCRI, the government party, and an opposition MP both sponsored resolutions this week-end to that effect. The resolutions noted that during the past three months 11 anti-Jewish vandalisms have occurred in the Buenos Aires area, mostly against synagogues. The matter had been brought to the attention of the Argentine legislators by the DAIA, central body of Argentine Jewry.

The resolution presented by the three Senators asked official repudiation of “vandalic actions against Jewish cultural, religious and artistic institutions” and for government action. Opposition MP Julio Busaniche also urged government action in a resolution presented to the Chamber of Deputies.

The DAIA was particularly concerned over the fact that Buenos Aires police have done little to apprehend the vandals, one of their few actions being that of removing a bomb found at the synagogue of Hungarian Jewry during Rosh Hashanah. On the second day of Rosh Hashanah, a young Jew was attacked by Tacuara hoodlums. One of the attackers cut the victim’s face four times while the others held him. The Tacuara group have organized open demonstrations but police have ignored the evidence and made no arrests.

The UCRI party discussed the problem with Interior Minister Alfredo Vitolo, who condemned the vandalism and said he had asked police to investigate. He said the government also condemned the “undemocratic actions.”