A/49/677 English Page 14 58. Some think that the legal restrictions imposed on immigration and the right of asylum in Europe encourage xenophobia. 22/ In this regard, the Iranian Government declared that "the issue of the implications of Europe’s immigration policy for the practice of xenophobia needs to be considered by the Special Rapporteur, as well as the ways and means to overcome the adverse consequences of the restrictive measures of this policy". 23/ In France, for example, the Movement against Racism and for Friendship among Peoples believes that the laws promoting racism are accepted, indeed justified. Xenophobia is becoming widespread and public opinion would appear to endorse the anti-immigrant laws. 24/ The malevolent physical attacks on foreigners which have been increasing recently in European cities bear witness to the very real hostility that exists towards foreigners. 59. As the Danish Government reported, an inquiry initiated by the European Union showed that from 12 July 1992 to 1 August 1993 there have been 144 episodes, which have been subject to police investigation in connection with suspicion of a criminal act by which the motive of the act is assumed to be related to racism or xenophobia. The episodes are primarily of a less serious nature (dissemination of xenophobic texts and the like). However, a few serious episodes have occurred, notably arson and attempted bombing of asylum centres. It should be stressed that in no case has serious personal injury occurred. Furthermore, there have been incidents of discrimination in access to places open to the general public, notably discotheques. 25/ 60. There have been notable incidents of a xenophobic or racist nature in Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Numerous acts of violence of a xenophobic or racist nature are perpetrated by national police forces. According to Amnesty International, "the behaviour of law enforcement officers mirrors the rising tide of racism in Europe". 26/ This human rights organization has documented an increasing number of cases where race appears to be a factor among the many reports of torture and ill-treatment by police and other government agents ... in Western Europe. 27/ 61. In 1992, the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution recorded 2,584 acts of violence prompted by xenophobia, an increase of 74 per cent over the 1,486 acts of violence recorded in 1991. Seventeen people, of whom seven were foreigners, died in 1992 as a result of such acts. This is the highest figure recorded since the founding of the Federal Republic of Germany. 62. As in 1991, foreigners - in particular asylum-seekers - and their homes were the principal targets of those attacks: approximately 88 per cent of the acts of violence committed were directed against foreigners. In 63 cases (40 in 1991), the acts were anti-Semitic in nature. Acts directed against Jews have therefore increased to a lesser degree than those directed against foreigners in general. 63. The wave of violence perpetrated by right-wing extremists reached its highest point in September 1992, when 536 acts of violence were recorded. The end of that summer saw an escalation in violence, launched by several days of riots directed against foreigners at Rostock-Lichtenhagen (from 22 to 28 August); this far exceeded the events of 1991. /...