Israel Day in Berlin: Rise in anti-Semitic attacks alarms Germany

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Europe

03:03

A rise in anti-Semitic attacks in Germany is causing alarm. The government's new commissioner dealing with anti-Semitism says refugees may explain part of the increase. CGTN's Guy Henderson has the story.

Israel Day celebrations in the German capital — But there is unease here.

A mother tells the story of her son — who a few months into a new school, told his classmates he went to Synagogue.

"That's how three and a half months of abuse, terror and anti-Semitic violence started. Verbal and also physical violence. And that's when we started to talk to the school and to change and stop that. The school would not react: we realised it was too dangerous to continue to send him there."

In mid-April, 21-year old Arab-Israeli Adam Armush headed out with a Jewish scullcap — a Kippa on to prove that the streets of Berlin were safe for Jews.

He was attacked. And started filming it on his mobile phone.

A Palestinian from Syria was later arrested.

Indicative of a broader pattern, the incident sparked nationwide alarm: with the head of the Council of Jews in Germany advising people not to wear the Kippa in cities.

Instead, many thousands came out doing exactly that.

"It is slowly becoming uncomfortable in Berlin", this Jewish leader told the crowds.

The very next day, one of Germany's major music awards was scrapped — after growing outrage at this year's winners: rappers whose lyrics included the phrase "I'm another Holocaust".

GUY HENDERSON BERLIN"That uniquely horrifying part of history resulted in the deaths of at least 6 million Jews in this country. Statistics showing a 2.5% increase in anti-semitic attacks in 2017 has piled pressure on the government to act."

95% were attributed to a right-wing motive: there's little doubt the appeal of that politics has been on the rise.

On 1st May, Neo Nazis gathered in the state of Saxony — they were met with counter-protesters.

But there are concerns a rise in anti-semitism could also have another source: refugees from the Middle East.

This integration class appeared to support that suggestion.

This man says quite openly: "We were taught that Hitler was a great man."

Another refers to the belt attack.

"Maybe he was angry because Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian children on a regular basis."

That disturbing distortion between race and politics is not new but appears to be coming up more often.

Guy Henderson, CGTN, BERLIN.