Berlin Trial: Student Denies Anti-Semitic Attack Claims After Assault
- Accused perpetrator denies harboring anti-Semitic intentions following assault incident.
In the courtroom of Tiergarten Local Court, the case of the vicious assault on Jewish student Lahav Shapira is underway. Accusations fly about dangerous bodily harm and anti-Semitic motives, but the defendant maintains his innocence.
The defendant, a 24-year-old former student at the Free University (FU), admitted to the attack and expressed remorse. However, he disputes the accusation that the assault had any anti-Semitic undertones.
The prosecution alleges that the atmosphere at the FU was heated following the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack by Islamic Hamas on Israel. They believe this context fueled the assault on Shapira.
"I am truly sorry," the defendant stated at the trial's onset. He insists the conflict wasn't rooted in politics but a matter of student coexistence. Born and raised in Berlin, the defendant indicated that he didn't view the incident through a religious or political lens.
Shapira, a 32-year-old now, testified that he was approached harmlessly in a bar before being viciously attacked. The altercation revolved around posters advocating for Israel's destruction. Shapira is participating as a co-plaintiff in the trial, serving as the first witness.
According to the indictment, Shapira was hit in the face, then kicked while on the ground, bleeding profusely. He underwent multiple surgeries, had his nose realigned, and now carries metal plates in his face. The attack left him isolated, depending on his mother for care, and incapable of living a normal student life.
The defendant claims he underestimated his combative sports skills, losing his composure in the heat of the moment. His parents hail from Lebanon. He has since left the FU and attended an anti-violence training course.
The defendant offered Shapira an initial compensation of 5,500 euros, with additional monthly payments to follow. However, Shapira's lawyer initially dismissed the offer, prioritizing a more thorough examination of the attack's genesis.
Judge Sahin Sezer stressed the central importance of understanding the attack's motivation during the trial's opening. Prosecutor Tim Kaufmann is adamant that the assault on Shapira was antisemitic, based on his investigations.
As the trial progresses, a verdict is expected on April 17. The Federal Government's Commissioner for Antisemitism, Felix Klein, attended the trial under enhanced security measures, emphasizing the necessity of consistent pursuit and prosecution of anti-Semitic crimes.
Meanwhile, Shapira is taking legal action against the FU at the Berlin Administrative Court. He alleges the university failed to adequately address anti-Semitic discrimination. A court hearing has been scheduled for July 15.
Recent amendments to the Berlin Senate's Higher Education Act allow for exmatriculation in certain disciplinary cases, but the hurdles are challenging, requiring a final conviction. The possibility of exmatriculation was reinstated following the tightening of the act.
- The defendant, born and raised in Berlin, argued that the assault on Jewish student Lahav Shapira was not rooted in politics or religion, but rather a matter of student coexistence, despite allegations by the prosecution that the heated atmosphere at the Free University was fueled by recent political events.
- The Berlin trial over the assault on Jewish student Lahav Shapira revealed that the defendant, who hails from Lebanon, has since left the Free University and attended an anti-violence training course, after initially offering Shapira a compensation of 5,500 euros with additional monthly payments.
- In addition to the trial for the assault on Lahav Shapira, Shapira is also taking legal action against the Free University at the Berlin Administrative Court, alleging that the university failed to adequately address anti-Semitic discrimination, particularly in light of the recent amendments to the Berlin Senate's Higher Education Act which allow for exmatriculation in certain disciplinary cases, although the hurdles for such action are challenging, requiring a final conviction.
