Mosque in Germany vandalized by far-left protesters

BERLIN (AA) - A mosque in the eastern German city of Leipzig has been vandalized by left-wing extremists, authorities said on Tuesday.

During a rally of far-left groups on Monday night in the east Leipzig, some of the protesters attacked the Eyup Sultan Mosque in the same district and smashed its windows, according to a police statement.

Small groups of violent demonstrators also threw fireworks and rocks at police officers, burned garbage cans, and tried to torch parked cards in the district, according to local media reports.

Police said they arrested 11 suspects after the demonstrators turned violent.

Germany’s largest Turkish-Muslim group DITIB, which runs Leipzig’s Eyup Sultan Mosque, has condemned the attack and called for stronger protection for the places of worship.

A country of over 82 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Among the country's nearly 5 million Muslims, 3 million are of Turkish origin.