Jewish body lays charges

ONLINE: FEMALE FITNESS GURU ACCUSED OF CLASSIC ANTI-SEMITISM

‘Racist and inflammatory rhetoric not only criminal, but dangerous.’

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) has laid a criminal charge against Simone Abigail Kriel, who is relatively well known in fitness circles, for her alleged “anti-Semitic and inflammatory” comments on her Instagram account on 16 May.

This comes after the organisation gave Kriel until close of business on 19 May to remove the offending material and post an unequivocal apology to the Jewish community, and that failing which, legal and/or other appropriate action would be taken against her.

In a statement, SAJBD said the charge was laid through its legal representatives, Ian Levitt Attorneys.

“The racist and inflammatory rhetoric of this nature was not only criminal, but dangerous and needed to be confronted as strongly as possible,” said SAJBD national vice-chairwoman Professor Karen Milner.

“This was particularly true in the current climate, when many people were feeling anxious, frustrated and confused.

“It is at such times that conspiracy theories tend to flourish, and all too often Jews end up becoming the scapegoats.

“The posts, in this case, portray, inter alia, Jews as being intrinsically evil, morally and spiritually corrupt and enemies of humanity at large. As such they constitute classic anti-Semitism,” said Milner, who is a professor of psychology at Wits University.

On her Instagram, Kriel wrote: “The f ***** g Jews are greedy

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