Middle East Conflict: Over 80 Criminal Investigations in Berlin After Terrorist Attack
Two months have passed since the Islamist Hamas-led terror attack in Israel, and the Berlin public prosecutor's office has since opened more than 80 cases connected to the incident. As of December 7, 16 of those cases involve criminal offenses related to demonstrations during the intensified Middle East conflict. According to a spokesperson, the remaining 67 cases primarily involve anti-Semitic incidents.
The public prosecutor's office is probing various offenses: incitement to hatred, depictions of violence, encouraging criminal acts, the use of symbols from unconstitutional or terrorist organizations, among others. Seventy suspects have been identified in the investigations.
Just days after the October 7 terror attack, the Rias network reported approximately 1,000 anti-Semitic incidents within a four-week timeframe. Berlin alone experienced 282 such instances. Numerous rallies and demonstrations have transpired, especially within the pro-Palestinian community, resulting in frequent clashes with the police and acts of violence.
The majority of these instances are still under the jurisdiction of the police, who are handling their processing within the state security department in charge of politically motivated crimes. The public prosecutor's office has registered over 1,684 cases as of December 6, comprising 517 cases of property damage, 380 instances of violent crimes, and 81 cases of breaching peace.
The public prosecutor's office aims to increasingly accelerate trial proceedings for criminal offenses in response to the serious situation and the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. To date, only one conviction has been secured: a 25-year-old Italian man, found guilty of aggravated breach of peace, attempting grievous bodily harm, and assaulting law enforcement officers at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin.
Additional Insights:
- The German authorities have taken action against anti-Semitic incidents and Middle East conflict-related activities:
- A 27-year-old man was arrested for attempting to burn down a synagogue in Oldenburg using a Molotov cocktail.
- The Jewish Community Security Trust (CST) reported a significant increase in anti-Semitic incidents in 2024, with 3,528 recorded incidents and 2,479 potential unclassified instances.
- A pro-Palestinian college student assaulted a Jewish classmate in Berlin over an argument about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
- June 2022 saw two arson attempts on synagogues in Germany by an unknown assailant.
