Germany: Dozens of mosques attacked in 2022

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA):  At least 35 mosques were attacked in Germany last year, with the majority of these attacks motivated by Islamophobia and right-wing extremism in the country, according to a new report released by Turkish-Muslim group DITIB.

The DITIB’s anti-discrimination office recently released a 32-page report analyzing hate crimes, threats, and attacks targeting mosques and Islamic organizations in Germany in 2022.

According to DITIB experts, anti-Muslim violence was closely related to social and political developments in the country, as well as public debates about immigrants, Muslims, and Islam.

“Polarizing and unobjective debates, an increase in stigmatizing (especially demonization of Muslims), are leading to an increase in attacks targeting mosques,” the experts wrote in their report.

In 2022, at least 35 mosques were targeted in attacks, with 19 of them motivated by Islamophobia, and eight other attacks carried out by right-wing extremists.

In seven cases, anti-Turkish sentiment was the main motivation of the suspects, according to the report.

Left-wing extremists and followers of the PKK terror group were behind several attacks targeting mosques.

In recent years, Germany has witnessed an increase in racism and Islamophobia, fueled by the propaganda of far-right groups and parties that have exploited the refugee crisis and attempted to instill immigrants fear.

Germany, with a population of over 84 million people, has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. It is home to nearly five million Muslims, according to official figures.

[Map of Germany from CIA Factbook/Public Domain]

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