Africa-born German lawmaker's office attacked

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Germany's first Black lawmaker Karamba Diaby said on Thursday that his office in the eastern city of Halle was targeted in an arson attack.

“Last night there was an arson attack on my office. Fortunately, no one was hurt,” Karamba Diaby said on Twitter, but added that it caused considerable material damage.

“This act angers me. But it is also clear that I will not be intimidated by this,” the Social Democrat politician said.

The Senegal-born lawmaker received numerous threats in recent years from right-wing extremists, and his office was also targeted several times, including by gunfire in 2020.

The police said in a statement on Thursday that it arrested a 55-year-old man in connection with the arson attack, and the investigations were ongoing.

Diaby said the suspect was already known to the police, and he filed several criminal complaints against him in the past for numerous offenses, including racist insults.

“I hope that the investigations will quickly and decisively lead to reliable results,” he said.

Germany has witnessed growing racism in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of far-right groups and parties, which have exploited the refugee crisis and attempted to stoke fear of immigrants.