Berlin’s Jewish center, positioned in Mitte, has requested stronger security measures amidst growing concerns of rising violence and tensions. The community was left anxious and alarmed when two flammable bottles, essentially petrol bombs, were hurled at a local synagogue. This comes at a time when a heightened number of antisemitic incidents are being reported across various European countries.
Authorities report that two individuals engaged in this arson attempt, launching these incendiary bottles into the synagogue. Anna Segal, community director, indicates that tensions are precipitously mounting, noting community members’ feelings of vulnerability and threat.
Germany’s Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has expressed his indignation over the recent spate of violence. Concurrently, Berlin has also seen eruptions of unrest as anti-Israel protests intensified overnight, with emergency services becoming targets for bottles, stones, and fireworks. Protests have led to blazing barricades in various streets, with one demonstration near the Brandenburg Gate amassing approximately 700 participants, as reported by police.
These attacks appear to be a response to Lebanon’s Iran-supported militant group, Hezbollah, calling for a “day of rage” following an explosion at a Gaza Strip hospital where casualty numbers are currently in the hundreds. Germany’s Central Council of Jews asserts that this “day of rage” is more than a phrase; it is a form of psychological terror leading to tangible assaults. This particular vandalized synagogue also functions as a community center, catering to 130 children with a kindergarten and high school.
Segal noted in an interview that the community needs enhanced protection due to the escalating tensions culminating from a week’s unrest in Israel. Immediately following the attack, there was hardly a trace of the petrol bombs that ignited in front of the synagogue and Jewish community center around 03:45. Germany’s Jewish institutions typically receive continuous police vigilance, leading to speculation that officers were at the location during the incident.
In an unfortunate turn of events, a man who approached the synagogue on a scooter and began shouting anti-Israel slogans was apprehended by the police. Protective barriers have been erected around the Jewish community center in the heart of Berlin, with officers maintaining vigilance on the premises.
France and parts of Germany imposed a ban on pro-Palestinian demonstrations amidst the escalating tensions last week, and any unauthorized rallies in Paris were dissolved with the use of tear gas and water cannons. The French Council of State, however, rejected any appeal against the ban on Wednesday, insisting that local prefects must evaluate each case individually, without influence from the Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin or due to a pro-Palestinian stance.
Darmanin iterated on Tuesday that any harm caused to French Jews would warrant a swift response from the state, addressing a surge in antisemitic incidents. European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, condemned Hamas terror for the frenzied cycle of violence engulfing Israel and Palestine. She condemned the rise in antisemitic incidents, vandalism of synagogues, and the exponential spread of hate speech and fake news across Europe, a situation she deemed unacceptable.
In the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed disgust at the rise in antisemitic incidents. The Community Security Trust, a UK-based charity tasked with Jewish community protection, urged universities to promptly and robustly tackle antisemitism, ensuring the safety of Jewish students. This plea comes as the CST recorded 36 antisemitic campus incidents between 7 and 16 October.
