Violent attacks against migrants rise in Germany

The number of attacks in Germany on refugees, asylum seekers and their accommodations has increased significantly, with more attacks in the first nine months of this year than in all of 2022, reported dpa.

There were 1,515 such attacks recorded in the first three quarters of 2023, compared to 1,371 attacks in all of 2022. The figures came in response to a query from the hard-left Die Linke (The Left) party, which was made available to dpa,

In the third quarter of this year, there were a total of 30 cases in which accommodations were the scene or target of a politically motivated criminal offence, according to statistics.

Three of these cases involved violent offences. Police attributed the majority of attacks on accommodations - 23 offences - to the German right-wing movement.

Police also believed that 375 of the 417 politically motivated crimes registered outside of accommodations that were directed against asylum seekers or recognized refugees in this period were right-wing motivated offences.

Some 19 offenses were attributed to ideologies from abroad, while two were classified as left-wing motivated. In some cases, the background remained unclear. Violence was involved in a total of 55 cases.

"Every day, refugees in Germany are attacked, humiliated and harassed," said Clara Bünger, a member of Die Linke. She said the German federal and state governments urgently needed to develop and implement suitable protection concepts.

Bünger sees the current debate on asylum issues as one reason for the increase in attacks.

In her opinion, this is "paving the way for racist mobilization on the streets and acts of violence against refugees."