Anti-Muslim attacks surge 70% in Berlin, report shows

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - Anti-Muslim attacks and discrimination cases in the German capital nearly doubled in 2024, reaching an alarming 644 incidents, according to a new monitoring report released Wednesday.

"The new annual report paints an alarming picture for our city," Rima Hanano, rights group CLAIM's co-director, told a news conference in Berlin, calling on authorities to take stronger measures against rising anti-Muslim racism.

"We documented 644 anti-Muslim attacks and discrimination cases in 2024, marking an increase of nearly 70% compared to the previous year. This means almost two anti-Muslim incidents every day here in Berlin,” she said.

Women were particularly targeted in the attacks, accounting for nearly two-thirds of cases (64%) where gender was known, Hanano said, adding that many victims were accompanied by their children at the time of the incidents.

The report found that discrimination in schools, housing, and the workplace made up the largest portion of documented cases, followed by verbal attacks. Hanano emphasized that the documented cases likely represent only a fraction of actual incidents, suggesting the real numbers could be much higher.

Anti-Muslim racism surged notably after Middle East conflicts intensified, she noted, adding that similar increases were also observed following terrorist attacks in Germany, as politicians and media often framed Muslims as security threats, which created an atmosphere of suspicion and discrimination.

"Muslims were repeatedly placed under general suspicion and portrayed as a security problem," Hanano said. “Some people feel encouraged and legitimized by such debates and discourse. And what's really disturbing is that even children and youth are being attacked on the streets, both verbally and physically.”

Germany has Western Europe's second-largest Muslim population after France, with nearly 5.5 million Muslims among its nearly 84 million residents. In recent years, the country has seen a rise in anti-Muslim racism and violence, driven by far-right political parties and movements, including the opposition Alternative for Germany, or AfD.