Elham Asaad Buaras
The number of anti-Muslim hate crimes in Germany has more than doubled last year, according to government data published on April 14.
According to a report by the German Press Agency dpa, citing a government response to an inquiry by Christian Democratic Union (CDU) lawmaker Christoph de Vries, the number of Islamophobic crimes nationwide in 2023 surged to 1,464, compared to 610 incidents reported the previous year.
Meanwhile, police reported 137 anti-Muslim hate crimes in the first quarter of this year.
The dramatic surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes is linked to the escalating Gaza war, according to the report.
The German government had repeatedly expressed concern about the rise in anti-Muslim racism in the country since the start of Israel’s attacks on Gaza following attacks by Hamas on October 7.Government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit stated that Germany considers any attacks on Muslims, whether for religious or other reasons, as “utterly unacceptable.”
“The nearly 5 million Muslims in Germany have every right to be protected,” he added.
The Alliance Against Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate, headquartered in Berlin, cautioned about the increasing prevalence of anti-Muslim racism during the heightened tensions of the Israel-Palestine conflict in Gaza.
“We are witnessing an intensification of anti-Muslim racism in Germany. This is something we should all be concerned about and needs to be taken seriously,” said Rima Hanano, the head of the nongovernmental organization.
“We must not allow inhumane positions to be further normalized and thereby jeopardize social cohesion. All people must be protected from racist, antisemitic, and other inhumane violence and threats,” she added.
With a population exceeding 84 million, Germany hosts the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe, trailing only behind France. Among its nearly 5.3 million Muslims, over 3 million have Turkish roots.
