The BDI director-general said reports of xenophobic violence threatened investment into Germany. In a bid to tackle racist violence against foreigners, the state and federal interior ministry officials have agreed to crack down on known neo-Nazi organisations, as well as improving security at Jewish sites. There are also plans to shut down neo-Nazi sites on the internet, which is being used to link different extremist groups. The officials said they would also set up a national database listing people convicted of racist offences to help the police concentrate their efforts. The problem is particularly severe in eastern Germany, which is still suffering from high unemployment and the huge social changes that followed the collapse of communism.
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