Refurbished analysis: Decrease in assaults on migrants or refugees
In the first half of 2024, police recorded 1,236 crimes against asylum seekers and refugees outside of refugee accommodations, a concerning figure that underscores the increasing hostility faced by these vulnerable individuals in Germany.
According to Clara Bünger, interior policy spokesperson for the Left Party, racial harassment, threats, and physical assaults continue to be part of daily life for people seeking protection in the country. The number of people filing initial applications for protection in Germany in the first half of this year is 61,336, representing a nearly 50% decrease compared to the same period last year. However, this decrease does not necessarily reflect a decrease in hate crimes, as many incidents go unreported.
The increase in unreported crimes can be attributed to several factors. Rising Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hate crimes have nearly doubled from 898 in 2021 to 3,080 in 2024. The large influx of refugees, such as over 1.2 million Ukrainians by 2025 and many others from Syria and Turkey, face language barriers, legal uncertainties, and limited access to support services, which further hinder crime reporting.
Moreover, the political and social climate plays a significant role. Mixed messaging by authorities regarding Islamophobia and the portrayal of refugees impact victims’ willingness to report crimes. A climate of fear and mistrust towards law enforcement and government institutions can result in significant underreporting.
The gradual introduction of stationary controls at all German borders, measures taken by Balkan countries to reduce irregular migration, and the changed situation in Syria are factors contributing to the decrease in asylum seekers. However, the overall trend over recent years is an increase in hostility and hate crimes that often go unreported.
In the first six months of 2025, the majority of documented crimes against asylum seekers and refugees outside of refugee accommodations were cases of property damage, insults, and incitement. However, a decrease in such crimes was observed compared to the same period in 2024.
The implications of increased unreported crimes against asylum seekers and refugees are profound. Victims remain vulnerable to repeated abuse and violence without justice or protection. Underreporting fuels a cycle where authorities remain unaware of the scope of hate crimes and do not allocate adequate resources to prevention and support.
Fear of victimization and invisibility of their experiences hamper refugees’ integration into society and access to services. Unaddressed hate crimes can embolden perpetrators and increase polarization.
While some reports suggest crimes targeting asylum seekers have decreased in early 2025 outside certain hotspots, the overall trend over recent years is an increase in hostility and hate crimes that often go unreported.
The rise in unreported crimes against asylum seekers and refugees is driven largely by rising Islamophobia and systemic barriers to reporting, which have profound negative effects on victims and wider society.
References:
[1] Federal Statistical Office (2024). Anti-Muslim hate crimes in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.destatis.de/DE/Themen/Gesellschaft-Umwelt/Gesellschaft/Muslim-Minderheit/Anti-Muslim-Polizeiliche-Verbrechen.html
[2] BAMF (2025). Asylum statistics in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.bamf.de/EN/SoezialeIntegration/Statistiken/Asyl/asyl-node.html
[3] Bunger, C. (2024). Interview on the rise of hate crimes against refugees. Retrieved from https://www.leftparty.de/news/interview-zur-steigenden-anzahl-an-hassverbrechen-gegen-fluechtlinge
[4] Amnesty International (2025). Hate crimes against refugees and asylum seekers in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.de/de/aktuell/pressemitteilungen/2025/06/hassverbrechen-gegen-fluechtlinge-und-asylsuchende-in-deutschland/
[5] Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (2025). Challenges faced by refugees in Germany. Retrieved from https://www.bamf.de/EN/SoezialeIntegration/Integration/Integrationshindernisse/integrationshindernisse-node.html
The Left Party's interior policy spokesperson, Clara Bünger, highlights the persistence of racial harassment, threats, and physical assaults, classified under general-news and crime-and-justice, as ongoing issues for people seeking protection in Germany. Authorities should be aware that the large influx of refugees, which face language barriers, legal uncertainties, and limited access to support services, often results in unreported crimes (crime-and-justice), a significant concern given the increasing hostility and hate crimes encountered by asylum seekers and refugees (politics).
