Report Highlights Rising Antisemitic Crimes in Berlin

The recently released annual report by the Berlin State Prosecutor's Office has revealed alarming statistics regarding antisemitic crimes in the city. The report, compiled by the Commissioner for Antisemitism, Florian Hengst, indicates a significant increase in incidents targeting the Jewish community over the past year.

In 2024, the State Prosecutor's Office completed investigations in approximately 600 cases involving antisemitic motives, with over 130 indictments filed across various courts. Additionally, there were around 4,096 cases related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where antisemitic motives were suspected, alongside the ongoing investigations in nearly 740 cases.

Notably, the report recorded a total of 756 antisemitic offenses in the past year, compared to 586 in 2023. A concerning development highlighted in the report was the emergence of the red Hamas triangle, which has been prominently displayed on posters and social media platforms.

However, a significant number of cases--around 2,430--were closed without charges, primarily due to the inability to identify perpetrators or insufficient evidence. This included a notable case involving an attempted arson attack on the Kahal Adass Jisroel Synagogue in Berlin-Mitte. In this incident, two masked individuals threw Molotov cocktails towards the synagogue on August 18, 2023. Fortunately, security personnel were able to extinguish one of the incendiary devices before it caused damage, while the other failed to ignite.

Following the attempted attack, Hengst emphasized the extensive efforts made to identify the suspects, including analyzing video footage, DNA evidence collected on-site, and tracking cell phone data. Unfortunately, these efforts yielded no viable leads, resulting in the case being closed in November 2024.

The attempted arson occurred just days after a terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, which has been linked to a nationwide surge in antisemitic incidents. Hengst described the uptick in antisemitic offenses as occurring at an "alarming rate," with increased calls for violence against Jewish individuals and Israel, leading to threats, harassment, and assaults both online and in public spaces.

In response to this troubling trend, the prosecution office has committed to a robust approach to addressing antisemitic crimes. They have established a collaborative framework with the Jewish Sports Federation of Germany to expedite the prosecution of antisemitic acts within the realm of sports.

This report serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by the Jewish community in Berlin and underscores the critical need for vigilance and action against antisemitism in all its forms.