Berlin’s police chief, Barbara Slowik, has advised Jewish and gay residents to exercise caution in parts of the city dominated by Arab populations, citing a rise in hostility and incidents of violence.
Slowik, while speaking with Berliner Zeitung, recently identified neighbourhoods with significant Arab populations as particularly concerning, noting sympathies for terrorist groups and open hostility toward Jewish residents.
She said, “There are areas of the city, we need to be perfectly honest here, where I would advise people who wear a kippah or are openly gay to be more careful.
“There are certain neighbourhoods where the majority of people of Arab origin live, who also have sympathies for terrorist groups.”
While violent crimes targeting Jewish individuals remain rare, Slowik stressed that “every act is one too many.”
Her comments follow a recent attack on a Jewish youth football team, Makkabi Berlin, whose players were pursued by armed youths after a match in an Arab neighbourhood. The players, aged 13 to 15, reported verbal abuse and spitting during the game.
According to the Telegraph, Anti-Semitic incidents in Germany have surged since the onset of the Gaza conflict, doubling in 2023 compared with previous years.
Berlin police have initiated over 6,000 investigations into anti-Semitic acts since October last year, with offences ranging from online hate speech to graffiti. High-profile cases include a petrol bomb attack on a synagogue and assaults on individuals wearing Jewish symbols.
Neukölln, a Berlin district known for its LGBT nightlife and the highest Arab population in the city, has seen growing tensions. Despite years of coexistence, incidents of physical attacks on gay couples have become increasingly common, raising alarm among residents.
The German Bundestag recently passed a resolution condemning anti-Semitism, acknowledging the role of migration from Middle Eastern countries where anti-Semitic indoctrination is prevalent. The resolution could lead to the revocation of asylum status for refugees found guilty of anti-Semitic crimes.
The debate over migration and its societal impact has resurfaced as Germany grapples with rising anti-Semitism and terrorism concerns. While the far-right Alternative for Germany party has pushed for mass deportations, other political factions remain focused on the country’s struggling economy ahead of the upcoming elections.
The escalation of anti-Semitic incidents has left Germany’s Jewish community questioning their safety in the nation, once a beacon of post-Holocaust reconciliation.
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