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Itongadol.- A German municipal court on Friday shut down an anti-Israel exhibit in the western city of Cologne, after its organizer was repeatedly accused of antisemitism and glorification of violence.
The permanent exhibit displayed on Cologne\’s bustling Cathedral Square pedestrian-only zone shows numerous pictures of wounded, bloodied, and dead children who were allegedly hurt during Operation Protective Edge, Israel\’s Gaza offensive of last summer.
"A sign comparing Israel\’s actions to those of Hitler is displayed as part of Walter Hermann\’s "peace protest\’"
The court ruled that the display of the gruesome photos violates Germany\’s Youth Protection Act, as the pictures are imposed on unprepared passersby and could disturb children and adolescents.
Walter HermannWalter Hermann, the organizer of the exhibit, which he claims is a demonstration for peace, told the German Express paper he wants to "shake up people with these horrific pictures."
Hermann, 76, has been strongly criticized for his project, dubbed the "Cologne Wailing Wall" by all major parties as well as churches.
"This agitation is completely one-sided, anti-Semitic and only abhorrent," Cologne\’s Downtown District Mayor Andreas Hupk told the Express.
Hermann will face a fine of $635 and a possible second trial should he continue to display the pictures, according to the court\’s ruling.
Immediately following the trial, Hermann said he will continue to show the photos and appeal the decision.
The "Wailing Wall" was initially erected in 1991 as a means of generating awareness for the plight of Cologne\’s homeless, supported by a vigil against the Second Gulf War.
Following a temporary closure the project was reactivated in 2004 focussing on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has since displayed a vast array of blatantly anti-Semitic cartoons and statements.
In 2010, a cartoon showing a man with a Star of David on his bib devouring a Palestinian boy with a fork while draped in an American flag and using a knife with the word “Gaza” on it triggered a legal complaint and a grassroots campaign from theater director Gerd Buurmann.
In the same year the city partnerships of Cologne-Tel Aviv and Cologne-Bethlehem issued a joint statement condemning the exhibit.
According to the resolution, “The antisemitic and anti-Israel presentation of the so-called ‘Cologne Wailing Wall’ spreads hatred against humans and feeds anti-Israel resentments.”