Hundreds protest anti-Semitism in Malmo

Jews, people of other faiths march in southern Swedish city, which has large immigrant Muslim community, to bring attention to intolerance, anti-Semitic attacks in Nordic country

Several hundred Jews and people of other faiths and none marched in the southern Swedish city of Malmo over the weekend to bring attention to intolerance and anti-Semitic attacks in the Nordic country.

The city has a large immigrant Muslim community and attacks on Jews have spiked in recent years.

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Sweden's government has come under criticism for failing to provide adequate protection to the country's small Jewish community and address the issue of anti-Semitism, even after an explosion rocked a building in a Jewish community in Malmo last year.

In 2010, a group of Jews were attacked during a peaceful demonstration in support of Israel and in August several hundred Jews and non-Jews marched in Stockholm in solidarity with Malmo's persecuted Jewish community.

Malmo’s mayor, Ilmar Reepalu, said that a group of Jews who were attacked during the peaceful demonstration had brought the violence upon themselves for not distancing themselves from Israel and its actions during the month-long Gaza war in 2008-2009.

One demonstrator spoke of how he was harassed while working as teacher.

A local Jewish community leader attempted to put the problem into perspective for the country’s 20,000 Jews.

"I think that it is a small minority that harasses Jews in Malmo," said Willy Silberstein of the Swedish Committee against Anti-Semitism. "The big majority is here with us, but still the enemies are strong enough to be a big problem. That's why I'm here."

Anti-Semitism in Malmo first drew international attention in 2009, when riots broke out due to the presence of Israeli professional tennis players in the city.