In the latest string of attacks targeting Germany’s Muslim community, neo-Nazi extremists have attacked a mosque in the western German city of Siegburg.
The assailants first threw stones at the mosque and then entered the complex at around 11:10 p.m. local time (21:10 GMT), smashing doors and windows. They also left a flyer of the neo-Nazi group, Letzte Rettung Germania, before escaping, witnesses said.
The Turkish-Muslim group DITIB, which runs the Siegburg Mosque, condemned the attack, and called for stronger protection for the places of worship.
Anti-Muslim violence is on rise
Germany is facing a rise in anti-Muslim racism and violence in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of far-right political parties and movements.
In the first half of 2023, police recorded 258 Islamophobic crimes, including attacks on mosques, cases of bodily harm, and threatening letters.
A country of more than 84 million, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. It is home to more than 5 million Muslims, according to official figures.
