Germany Sees Record High in Anti-Muslim Incidents, Claim Reports
According to the Allianz Claim, a organization backed by the German Ministry of Family, a record high in anti-Muslim incidents was documented in the past year. A total of 3,080 cases of violence and discrimination were reported, a 60 percent increase from the previous year’s 1,926 incidents. On average, more than eight incidents were registered per day.
The majority of the incidents, 1,558, were verbal attacks, but there were also two fatal incidents and 198 cases of physical harm. In 70 cases, the attacks targeted religious institutions, such as mosques. Claim estimates that the actual number of incidents is likely to be much higher due to the lack of reporting.
“We are witnessing a new escalation of anti-Muslim violence, discrimination and exclusion in Germany” said Rima Hanano, co-managing director of Claim. “We not only see a massive increase, but also a new quality of anti-Muslim racism in the form of a growing normalization, unbridling and brutality.” Hanano emphasized that the situation is not limited to verbal attacks, but also includes physical violence, with women with headscarves being spat at, children being insulted on their way to school and mosques being vandalized with swastikas. She called on the German government to take immediate action to address the issue.