GERMANY: A German synagogue in Wuppertal is attacked with petrol bombs. There were no injuries

Record ID: 355874

  • Title: GERMANY: A German synagogue in Wuppertal is attacked with petrol bombs. There were no injuries
  • Date: 29th July 2014
  • Summary: WUPPERTAL, GERMANY (JULY 29, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR SYNAGOGUE IN WUPPERTAL SPOT ON STEPS LEFT BY PETROL BOMB ATTACKS SECURITY CAMERA TILT DOWN OF ENTRANCE TO SYNAGOGUE TO SPORT ON STAIRS SPORT ON STAIRS EXTERIOR OF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (German) CHIEF PROSECUTOR HANS-JOACHIM KISKEL SAYING: "The attack happened this morning at 2.15 a.m. A resident alerted the
  • Embargoed: 13th August 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
  • Reuters ID: LVA6ZVEOVPZ47RHIT3440VORVYML
  • Story Text: German police arrested an 18-year-old man after petrol bombs were thrown at a synagogue in the western town of Wuppertal overnight, they said in a statement on Wednesday (July 29).
    The police said that according to investigations, three suspects threw several incendiary devices at the entrance. No one was hurt and it appears no damage was done to the synagogue, they said. A local resident had alerted them when she saw a fire close to the building.
    Prosecutor Hans-Joachim Kiskel said the nationality of the arrested suspect was not clear but added that the man had told authorities he was Palestinian. The other two suspects fled.

    "It was three suspects, we have to assume three suspects. One person was detained in the progress. He is in police custody at the moment." he told Reuters. "The suspect is an 18-year old youth, his nationality is undetermined. He is a tolerated foreigner. He himself calls himself a Palestinian."
    The mayor of Wuppertal, Peter Jung, said he was very concerned the Israeli assault on Gaza may be the motivation behind the attack on the synagogue.

    "Of course those conflicts (Gaza) have consequences," he said. "But we do not want any proxy conflicts here in Germany for the things that need to be sorted out in Mideast. Therefore, we are all deeply concerned, because that is a different dimension with petrol bomb attacks on synagogues. And we must set a clear signal that this form of anti semitism has no place in Germany."
    The German government last week reassured Jews living in Germany that they should feel safe in the face of anti-Semitic chants and threats heard at some of the protests against Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza, and said such behaviour would not be tolerated.
    German media have expressed shock at the tenor of anti-Israel chants at some of the demonstrations, in a country which is ultra-sensitive about anti-Semitism because of the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazis.
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