Wiesenthal Centre Commends Nice Mayor for Foiled Provocation at Jewish School in Nice

“We are concerned at possible mimetic effect on others bent on antisemitic atrocity... and also the denial of justice if the would-beperpetrator is claimed to be insane or under the influence of narcotics.”

Paris - In a letter to Nice Mayor, MP Christian Estrosi, Wiesenthal Centre Director for International Relations, Dr.Shimon Samuels, commended his condemnation of the foiled incident at the Nice Jewish School “Or Torah,” forestalled by the school guard and arrested in flight by the rapid arrival of the Nicepolice.

Samuels recalled Estrosi’s role in the 2005 renaming of a High School in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey, near Grasse, to 'Collège SimonWiesenthal'.”

The Centre, however, "Expressed concern at two potential dangers:

- Despite the fact that, this time, the would-be perpetrator was reportedly unarmed, the intent carries a possible mimeticeffect through social media on others bent on antisemitic atrocity.

- The denial of justice if, yet again,the accused is claimed irresponsible because insane or under the influence ofnarcotics.”

“Mr. Mayor, in your long-term roles as President of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Region, as Member of the French National Assemblyand an active friend of Israel, our Centre would be delighted to work with you in the battle against antisemitism in France,” concluded Samuels.

For further information, contact Shimon Samuels at +33 147 237 637, join the Center on Facebook, www.facebook.com/simonwiesenthalcenter, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updatessent direct to your Twitter feed.

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is one of the largest international Jewish human rights organizations with over 400,000member families in the United States. It is an NGO at international agencies including the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the OAS, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament(Parlatino).