Austrian mayor resigns after saying journalists should be hanged like Jews
Karl Simlinger
The mayor of an Austrian village resigned Friday after saying journalists who cover asylum seekers should be "hanged like Jews."
Karl Simlinger has denied some of the remarks attributed to him during a Gföhl village council meeting.
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But he did acknowledge making a statement that "grossly contravenes my convictions and my personal views."
Austrian news outlet Heute.at reported that Simlinger voiced his anger about asylum seekers who would live in a planned building complex.
"I don't give a shit about asylum seekers, but the journalists are to be blamed. They should be hanged; they are like the Jews."
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Simlinger later told Heute.at that “the asylum discussion took a toll on me.”
He accused journalists of misreporting events, although two village council members confirmed the remarks to Heute.at.
It is a crime to make anti-Semitic statements in Austria, and it's rumored an anti-racist group plans to press charges against Simlinger, The Associated Press reported.
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