Racism allegations: HR defends itself against prejudices and agitation!

Racism allegations: HR defends itself against prejudices and agitation!

Frankfurt, Deutschland - On February 13, 2025, Haya Schulmann, professor of cyber security at the Goethe University in Frankfurt, levied serious allegations against a moderator of the program "Hello Hessen". Schulmann claims that she was insulted racist and anti -Semitically during a switching discussion. In particular, she stated that the moderator, when she called her last name, stretched out the tongue and said "Bäh". These allegations have led to a comprehensive examination by the Hessischer Rundfunk (HR), which was commissioned by the Feigen Count.

In the investigation, which included 18 interviews and in which all the studios and the direction of all present were contacted, the law firm found that it was "assuming Graf's conviction" that the alleged insults were not carried out. In addition, the result shows that parts of Schulmann's allegations were not maintained. Hessische Rundfunk regrets that Schulmann has had such negative experiences and expressed his support from the start.

public perception and the influence of social media

The HR has vehemently resisted the “public prejudice” by the moderator and the entire team. However, this topic is not new, because the extent of public agitation on social media has increased in recent years. In this context, 43 Justitiable hate comments have already been reported in the HR. The associated threat to democracy and public discourse is alarming, as is shown in a study by Janina Steinert and other researchers on digital violence.

The study comes to the conclusion that almost every second politically committed person who was confronted with digital violence has changed their way of communication. Many adapt their content or visit platforms less frequently, while almost a quarter of the women affected have already considered to retreat entirely from the network. Yvonne Magwas, CDU member of the Bundestag, emphasizes that such attacks can decompose democratic coexistence. National Geographic reports that politically committed active protection against such attacks within the parties.

The study that bears the title "Lauter Hass - Leiser Withdraw" and was funded by the Federal Ministry of Family shows that hardly any person on social media is spared insulting statements. Football professional Luc Castaignos from 1. FC Magdeburg, for example, received racist news on Instagram after a penalty. The need for structural changes and better -trained law enforcement officers is more striking than ever to help the victims of hatred and agitation.

The investigation also illustrates that young women, people with a migration background and homo- or bisexual people are often target groups of group-related hatred. This means that a significant part of those affected suffer from the public discourse. The Süddeutsche Zeitung indicates that this has not only personal, but also social consequences that ultimately endanger the basis of democratic participation.

Overall, it is clear that the incidents related to Haya Schulmann and the general problem of the online agitation campaigns are closely linked. A clear and prompt persecution of hatred and classified crimes is crucial to enable the individuals and groups affected to return to an active part of the political and social discourse.