Of binge drinking and racism
Videos of the revelers chanting racist slogans on the Whitsun weekend on Sylt paint a more detailed picture of the group and their surroundings.
In addition to the already known video from the “Pony” club in Kampen, various agencies now have further video recordings of the group from previous vacations. These show a milieu characterized by excessive consumption, ostentatious behaviour and a party mood.
In connection with the racist outburst on Sylt, the impression can be gained that parts of this group seem to legitimize their privileges and lifestyle by disrespecting and excluding other people.
L'Amour toujours
On Pentecost Sunday, a short video from the Sylt luxury club “Pony” in Kampen caused horror. In the video, a group of young people sing the slogans “Foreigners out, Germany to the Germans” to the song “L’Amour toujours” by Gigi D’Agostino.
During the song, a man raises his right arm, waves his hand and forms a moustache with two fingers – a clear gesture that could be interpreted as a Hitler salute.
The video sparked massive outrage on social media. It went viral, the names of those allegedly involved circulated online and there were calls for the employers of those involved to fire them. This resulted in a number of dismissals and apologies from those involved. The incident received nationwide coverage.
On Whit Monday, a similar incident occurred at the shooting festival in Löningen in the district of Cloppenburg. A similar incident occurred on Friday at the Bergkirchweih in Erlangen.
There have also been an increasing number of incidents on Sylt: In addition to the already known racist breakdown at the Pony Club on the Whitsun weekend, there was also singing of the slogans to the song at the luxury club “Rotes Kliff”, according to the operators.
A problem of the privileged upper class?
The video from the “Pony” club in Kampen has caused particularly strong outrage as it shows racist remarks in a context that is not often associated with right-wing ideas.
The video shows young people who fit the stereotype of a privileged upper class: Management consultants, influencers, advertisers, managers and business lecturers from Munich, Coburg and Hamburg.
Research shows that the group apparently goes on regular trips to Sylt. This is confirmed by two further videos documenting the group’s celebrations on the island. These videos were deleted from the internet after the scandal came to light.
Excessive lifestyle of the group
A video posted on Tiktok by the woman who features prominently in the scandalous video shows clips from the group’s past vacations on Sylt.
The video shows the group on various activities: horse riding excursions, beach chair sessions in front of the restaurant Sansibar, parties on the terrace of the Pony Club and the beach bar “Buhne 16” in Kampen.
The group’s extravagant lifestyle is illustrated by opulent images: champagne flows freely, Rolex watches are compared, pallets of cans are bought in the supermarket and numerous bottles of champagne are decapitated with teeth, smartphones or credit cards
University lecturer does not intervene
The group on Sylt also included a manager at Vodafone Germany and a lecturer at the University of Coburg. He can be seen in the scandalous video wearing a hoodie from a luxury brand.
A former student reported that the lecturer had already traveled to exclusive places with students in the past and always wanted to convey a “cool” impression. However, he had never heard any racist remarks from him.
In the video from Whitsun weekend 2024, the lecturer stands next to the people chanting the racist slogans and sways to the music. Although he does not sing along, he does not take action against the remarks either. Coburg University of Applied Sciences stated on Instagram that the incident is being investigated and appropriate consequences will be taken. Vodafone Germany also announced on Instagram that the internal investigation into the incident is fully underway.
Weiterer Vorfall auf Sylt
Another racially motivated incident also occurred on Pentecost on Sylt after a visit to the Sturmhaube bar. A black woman described on Instagram how she was first racially insulted and then punched in the face by a man. Cell phone footage shows the attack. The woman filed a complaint, but the investigation is still ongoing against unknown persons.
