Germany’s Scholz vows action after Molotovs thrown at synagogue

Chancellor Olaf Scholz vows to fight antisemitism on German soil after attackers hurled two Molotov cocktails at a Jewish synagogue.

Police in the German capital say they are probing the attack, which took place in the city’s Mitte district in the early hours of this morning. There are no reports of injuries or damage.

Germany has seen a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents, in the wake of the Hamas terror group’s massacre of some 1,400 people in southern Israel and the ensuing war between Israel and the group.

“Two unidentified people came on foot and threw two burning bottles filled with liquid in the direction of the synagogue on Brunnenstrasse,” a commercial and residential street, police say in a statement.

“The bottles landed on the pavement and broke, extinguishing the fire.”

As the masked assailants ran away, round-the-clock security forces stationed outside noticed a “small fire” where the attackers had been standing and were able to put it out, “preventing further consequences.”

News latest: ???? Antisemitic attack in Berlin: Molotov cocktails thrown at a synagogue in Mitte#EXBnews #Antisemitism #racism https://t.co/HmazexWkcm pic.twitter.com/3IdioPvAui

— Exberliner Magazine (@exberlinermag) October 18, 2023

The building, which also houses a daycare center and a school, belongs to Kahal Adass Jisroel, which calls itself as “a growing Jewish community in the heart of Berlin.”

On social media, it confirms that “people and the building, fortunately, were unharmed.”

Without addressing the incident specifically, Scholz posts a message on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, condemning anti-Jewish hatred.

“Attacks against Jewish institutions, violent riots on our streets — this is inhumane, disgusting and cannot be tolerated,” he says.

“Antisemitism has no place in Germany. My thanks go to the security forces, especially in this situation.”