While Media Focused on Israel, Eritrean Migrants Riots were Happening Around the World

The same riots in Canada, the UK, Germany, and Sweden are covered very differently than in Israel.

By Daniel Greenfield, FrontPage Magazine

While the media focuses (predictably) on the violent riots between groups of battling Eritrean migrants that took place in Israel, they’re actually happening around the world.

Here it is in Edmonton, Canada.

“It was a chaotic scene with few if any parallels in Edmonton’s history: hundreds of men clashing on a field — some in blue, others in orange — carrying sticks and poles flying brightly coloured flags.

“Now, police are investigating the weekend violence, which pitted members of the city’s Eritrean community against one another and led officers to take the rare step of proclaiming the Riot Act.

“Police responded to clashes across the city over the weekend, during which stones, bricks and other objects were hurled at officers in riot gear. No charges have yet been laid, police said in a news release Monday afternoon.”

And Calgary, Canada.

“At approximately 5 p.m., Calgary Police Service responded to reports of an incident at Mcknight Boulevard and Falconridge Crescent, which initially involved up to 150 individuals, many of whom were brandishing weapons.

“Police emphasized that it was not a protest but a violent clash between the two groups. The safety of the public remains the top priority, and as such, dedicated resources have been mobilized to maintain order and protect the community.”

Here it is happening in Norway.

“The riots, which turned violent, continued in the center of Bergen on Saturday until ten in the evening.

“Heavily armed police tried to restrain opponents and supporters of Eritrea’s authoritarian regime in Bergen, Norway on Saturday, according to Norway’s largest newspaper Verdens Gang, or VG.

“The demonstrations turned into violent clashes at Kong Oscars gate in central Bergen. A police helicopter flew over the city during the riots, which lasted more than six hours.”

Here it is in Sweden.

“More than 50 people were injured and dozens detained in Stockholm Thursday as clashes broke out at an Eritrean pro-government festival, police and health officials said, with anti-government protesters trashing property at the site.”

Here it is in Germany.

“Hundreds of German police have used batons and pepper spray to quell crowds targeting an Eritrean cultural festival in the central town of Giessen.

“The protesters were angry that the festival went ahead in Giessen, calling it a propaganda exercise by the authoritarian Eritrean regime.

“A police statement said clashes took place for hours on Saturday, and that 26 police officers were injured.

“Police arrested nearly 100 people and had to stop traffic in the town centre.

“The police statement said protesters threw bottles and stones at police, damaged some vehicles and ripped down fencing around the festival venue.

“They also threw stones at buses carrying participants to the festival, the statement said.”

Here it is last year in the UK.

“A mob armed with makeshift weapons brawled on the street after a protest was held near the Eritrean Embassy in north London – with police making a ‘number’ of arrests at the scene.

“Emergency services descended en masse to Islington this afternoon after violence broke out on the streets.”

All of these incidents are pretty identical to what happened in Israel.

“Eritreans from both sides faced off with construction lumber, pieces of metal, rocks, and at least one axe, tearing through a neighborhood of south Tel Aviv where many asylum seekers live. Protesters smashed shop windows and police cars, and blood spatter was seen on sidewalks. One government supporter was lying in a puddle of blood in a children’s playground.

“Israeli police in riot gear shot tear gas, stun grenades, and live rounds while officers on horseback tried to control the protesters, who broke through barricades and hurled chunks of rocks at the police.”

So why are the riots in Israel the only ones to have received major international coverage?

Migrant riots in Europe or Canada are awkward and uncomfortable reminders that the whole refugee thing is a disaster for the host country. But migrant riots in Israel are another opportunity to portray it as a racist apartheid state.

There are plenty of examples of media bias against Israel, but this is a stunning example of parallel stories happening around the world, but being covered very differently when they take place in Israel.