In a stark increase of anti-Muslim discrimination, the General Secretary of the Islamic Community Milli Görüs (IGMG), Ali Mete, has called for greater sensitivity in government institutions and the appointment of a federal commissioner to address the issue.
According to the “Claim” network, which presented the figures on Tuesday morning, the number of documented cases of discrimination has risen by 60 percent compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 3,080 cases.
Mete expressed surprise at the sharp increase, particularly in the context of the escalating situation in Gaza, the rhetoric of the AfD and the increasingly unbridled political language surrounding migration. While an increase was anticipated, the extent of the rise is alarming, Mete said.
The IGMG General Secretary urged a political course correction and verbal de-escalation, emphasizing that those in positions of responsibility must be aware of the impact of their words.
Mete also emphasized the need for greater sensitivity in schools, the police and government institutions as a whole. He pointed out that schoolbooks still often present a distorted image of migration, portraying it as a problem rather than a natural part of societal reality.
Antimuslim racism, he said, should be incorporated into the training of teachers, a step that is still not being taken sufficiently.
Regarding the plans of the Black-Green coalition, Mete stated that little has been accomplished in the Islamic communities so far and the future of the German Islam Conference remains unclear.
At the same time, the IGMG representative sees the federal government in a duty to take a clear stance, such as by appointing a commissioner to combat anti-Muslim racism, similar to the Antisemitism Commissioner.
Given the high number of attacks and the millions of Muslims in Germany, this is long overdue, Mete said, adding that the issue requires institutional anchoring, going beyond civil society initiatives.