33 Fall 2023 theories, will not go unpunished.17 Far-right MP Grzegorz Braun used a fire extinguisher to put out Hanukah candles that had been lit in the Polish Parliament, and to physically attack a member of the Jewish religious community, during a ceremony with both Polish-Jewish leaders and Israel’s ambassador to Poland in attendance. It is noteworthy that the immediate legal response by the Public Prosecutor’s office was accompanied by condemnation across the entire Polish political spectrum. I believe the law should have a superior role among other tools used to combat and prevent genocidal forms of hatred. Particularly relevant in this regard is the issue of reporting and underreporting of antisemitic acts by victims. For a long time, the problem of underreporting has been one of the major obstacles in making the law an effective mechanism for action. Failing to report antisemitism to the authorities (police, prosecutors, etc.), as well as avoiding civil lawsuits against antisemitic individuals, prevents lawyers from effectively fulfilling their role. At the same time, the unequivocal and publicly proclaimed willingness of the legal community to take up such cases is crucial. Indeed, scholarly reflection and analysis of available legal measures must be accompanied by concrete steps taken on the basis of criminal, civil, and international law. n Aleksandra Gliszczyńska-Grabias is Assistant Professor at the Institute of Law Studies, Polish Academy of Sciences, and member of the IJL Board of Governors. She specializes in legal tools of fighting antisemitism and xenophobia, freedom of speech and vulnerable group rights. She is co-editor and co-author of Constitutionalism under Stress (OUP, 2020) and Law and Memory: Towards Legal Governance of History (CUP, 2017). She has held numerous fellowships, including at the University of Cambridge, Yale University, and the European University Institute. Principal Investigator in international research consortium ‘The Challenge of Populist Memory Politics for Europe: Towards Effective Responses to Militant Legislation on the Past’ (2021–2024) sponsored by the Volkswagen Stiftung. 17. Anna Koper, ”Far-right Polish lawmaker uses fire extinguisher on Hanukkah candles in parliament,” REUTERS, Dec. 13, 2023, accessed Dec. 16, 2023, available at https:// www.reuters.com/world/europe/far-right-polishlawmaker-uses-fire-extinguisher-hanukkah-candlesparliament-2023-12-12/
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