Shock and outrage ensue following a hate crime against children in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
"My thoughts and solidarity are extended to the affected children and their families," penned Faeser. Similarly, the Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Manuela Schwesig (SPD), expressed her dismay over the news that young children are facing assault in our nation. This heinous act demands swift punishment. "Racial prejudice and violence are utterly repulsive."
On the evening of last Friday, as per the police, a gang of approximately 20 youths viciously attacked two young girls from a Ghanaian family, aged eight and ten, in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. One of the assailants allegedly struck the eight-year-old on the face. Upon the girls' parents attempting to intervene, they too were set upon. The girls' father sustained minor injuries.
The police in Rostock reported that the gang was composed exclusively of teens and young adults. It is suspected that up to eight of them took part in the attack on the family. Following the arrival of emergency services, racist slurs were reportedly hurled. The police are currently investigating for aggravated assault and incitement to hatred.
During the weekend, right-wing extremist incidents surfaced not just in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, but in other federal states as well. In Rostock-Warnemünde, a gathering at the train station for a public viewing event on Friday echoed with right-wing extremist slogans. Authorities indicated that there were also attacks on emergency service personnel. Several suspects allegedly attempted to steal a police officer's service weapon.
In Bremen, on Saturday night during a public viewing event for the EM, a 29-year-old man is said to have displayed the Nazi salute and sang "Ausländer raus" to the popular party anthem "L'Amour toujours." From his group, a "Jew-hating slogan" was reportedly shouted. The 29-year-old has since been investigated for incitement to hatred.
In Schwerin, around 20 men reportedly displayed the Nazi salute on a bridge on Saturday. The police in Rostock were alerted by a witness. The suspects were allegedly bare-chested and captured in a video by a woman from their group.
During a festival in Penkun, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on Saturday night, a 24-year-old man was viciously beaten up by several unknown individuals, potentially due to ethnic prejudice. At the same event, anti-immigrant slogans were also reported. A connection is not ruled out. The State Protection Office is investigating.
Further incidents took place in Saarland. On Friday evening, a large group, near a tavern in St. Wendel, shouted hateful slogans and displayed the Nazi salute, according to the police. Eight suspects aged 16 to 27 were arrested. In the night leading to Saturday, four people in a tavern in Schiffweiler shouted hostile slogans and displayed the Nazi salute. They are now being investigated.
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- The Police in Rostock, where the attack occurred, appealed for any witnesses or footage that could aid their investigation into the hate crime.
- SPD politicians, including Nancy Faeser and Manuela Schwesig, strongly condemned the attack and called for a united response to combat hate crimes.
- On Sunday, numerous protests were held across Germany, including in Grevesmühlen, demanding justice for the victims and a societal shift away from hatred and prejudice.
- International organizations, such as Amnesty International Ghana, released statements expressing their outrage and calling for action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children of minority backgrounds in Germany.
- In light of the incident, the German government announced plans to strengthen legislation and funding for anti-discrimination and hate crime prevention programs.
- Various community organizations, schools, and religious institutions in Rostock, Ghana, and other affected areas, have organized events and workshops to promote understanding, unity, and empathy, hoping to prevent such incidents in the future.
