In an open letter published in 2016, leading figures from scientific institutions and civil society organisations in Potsdam spoke out for diversity and tolerance, rejecting all expressions of hatred and intolerance towards people on the basis of their origins, appearance, religion, or other grounds. The initiative for this letter came from IASS Scientific Director Mark Lawrence, who was spurred into action by a surge in xenophobia in connection with the so-called 'refugee crisis'. In view of the recent demonstrations against racism in Germany and in countries around the world, we, the Board of Directors of the IASS, wish to draw attention to this initiative once more, because we believe that scientific freedom is also undermined by racism.