Published22. February 2024, 04:51
Online medium: Babanews shares inflammatory video – Bern is considering stopping the school project
The online magazine “Baba News” conducts anti-hate speech workshops for children at schools in Bern – but shares a rap song that, according to specialist departments, uses anti-Semitic stereotypes.
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The online magazine “Baba News” runs workshops on hate speech in schools in Bern with its “Baba Academy”.
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The courses are intended to sensitize school children to discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism.
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However, this is now causing a stir because “Baba News” itself was criticized for its reporting on the Middle East conflict.
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The magazine also shared a video of a Swiss rapper, which experts classify as anti-Semitic.
The “Stop Hate Speech” workshop is being held at schools in Bern to show children in grades 3 to 9 what hate speech is and why it is hurtful. The course is led by the “Baba Academy” as the «Berner Zeitung» (BZ) reports. The Baba Academy is a program that emerged from the online magazine “Baba News”.
A few months ago, the magazine was faced with criticism for having practically not mentioned the Hamas attack on October 7th in a discussion of the Middle East conflict. The health department of the canton of Bern then withdrew its funds from the magazine.
“Highly irresponsible”
But that’s not all: Swiss rapper Enki D. Snake caused criticism on Wednesday after he published a rap on Instagram. The Swiss Association of Israelite Communities (SIG) criticized several anti-Semitic passages. “Baba News” saw the video – and shared it in a story on Instagram with his 31,000 followers.
The fact that the team, which is supposed to sensitize schoolchildren about discrimination, racism and anti-Semitism, spreads such content has drawn sharp criticism from the SIG: “Everyone would have understood that this rap contains obvious anti-Semitic passages – you don’t have to be an expert for that,” criticizes the Secretary General Jonathan Kreutner. “One wonders whether Baba News simply accepts that such anti-Jewish stereotypes are spread. This is highly irresponsible – apparently they can’t or don’t want to see the borders and the anti-Semitic narrative.”
“Baba News” is investigating a criminal complaint against the concerned father
An inquiry to “Baba News” as to why they shared the Zurich rapper’s video remained unanswered by the time of going to press. However, the magazine’s founder, Albina Muhtari, spoke to the BZ about the criticism of the workshops at Bern schools. The workshops worried one father so much that he expressed concerns to the school administration that his children were being taught anti-Semitic content.
Muhtari said that no teacher or parent has ever complained about the course content – they have been running the workshops in schools since 2022. “The unsubstantiated accusation that we are ‘instilling anti-Semitism’ in children is an insult to honor,” Muhtari told the BZ. “Baba News” is therefore investigating a criminal complaint against the father.
City of Bern threatens “critical questions”
20 Minutes also asked the city of Bern – the city’s school district is responsible for cooperation with the Baba Academy. The Directorate for Education, Social Affairs and Sport of the city of Bern was not aware that “Baba News” shared the rapper’s video on Instagram, as a media spokesman said.
But: “If Baba News re-posts anti-Semitic content, it will have to put up with critical questions. If the medium acted unconstitutionally or illegally, we would terminate the cooperation.”
“The school would have to look for another course provider”
The incident also caused criticism from politicians. Elisabeth Schneider-Schneiter (center), National Councilor and foreign policy expert from Baselland, says: “State institutions must pay very careful attention to what is taught in them and what comes from such platforms.” A public school has a responsibility, and so does a platform supported with public money like “Baba News”.
Green National Councilor Christine Badertscher finds it “difficult”. Basically, it is very positive that the school is taking up the topic of hate speech. But “Baba News” is currently not the ideal sender. “The school would now have to see whether there is another provider of these courses.”
An information platform that receives public money must be balanced in its reporting, says Badertscher. If “Baba News” says that there can be one-sided contributions in some cases, then that is simply not true for a publicly co-financed medium. “Balance and the inclusion of all perspectives are imperative.”
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2024-02-22 07:31:29
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