http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwpO-nnFY9g

There's an interesting line on this exposé about racism in Europe: "There was never a civil rights movement in Europe as there was in the US".

What most americans don't realize is the European POV on immigrants. Europe is the land of people with white skin colour and all the others, even the Roma, as usually considered invaders. Add to that the fact that most immigrants arrive destitute and from former colonies that fought guerrila wars to get rid of the same people they are now trying to emigrate to, and the situation gets very tricky: "if you fought us, why are you coming here now?"

You cannot browbeat people in their own home, so the issue of racism in Europe can, at best, be covered up nicely.

Europeans are among the most racist people I've ever encountered.

Any nation in particular?

Is it that bad?  It seems like it focused on soccer from what I understand is what people get pretty riled up about in EU, don't people get killed at those games also?

Is it that bad outside of sports?

OMG.  I'm watching and it is so awful I could cry for them.

Europeans are among the most racist people I've encountered also, second only to the Chinese and Japanese.

That kind of racism is not general in society, it is confined to specific elements. It's a bit like bullying, it is just certain people choosing some group or individual to pick on because it gives them some kind of perverse gratification. The bullies are pretty much despised by the majority, not admired or encouraged in any way.

For some reason there is a great deal of overlap between devote footbal fans/hooligans and extreme right/racist political groups.

Like anywhere Europe has its share of xenophobes, but on the whole I'd say that most individuals are fairly liberal and (as is the problem in the US) it's the shouty-shouty right-wing nuts who get most exposure and make the rest of us look bad...

It just happened recently that some people beat up a girl because she was speaking in her native tongue

I'd say that kind of racism is pretty general to society in certain european countries, notably: Spain, Italy and Greece (is Greece european these days?)  UK is the best but has a very loud yob contingent which makes it seem otherwise in the media.

Also many countries are openly racist, but target their racism against people whom USA dwellers haven't really thought of. For instance Germans are completely racist against Turks. Everyone on the continent hates gypsies.

What I find amazing is that Europeans tens to despise people they once colonized.

I apologize. It would have been funnier if I said "everyone on the continent hates gypsies and belgians."

Look at the last outsiders who tried to make Europe their home ... Goths, Huns, Moors, Turks, Mongols, Soviets, Americans, and internally, Vikings, Napoleon, Hapsburgs. They don't like immigrants. Even white ones.