- State protection investigated after attack on SPD constituency office
After an attack on the constituency office of SPD member Lars Düsterhöft in Berlin's Oberschöneweide, the state's police protection unit is investigating. The incident is being treated as property damage with a political motive, according to a police spokesperson.
The politician, who serves in the Berlin House of Representatives, shared photos of the damage to his office on Facebook. The photos show damage to a window, behind which a portrait of the politician hangs, and a red graffiti message on the adjacent wall. "Initial findings suggest that the window damage was likely caused by a sharp object," the police said later in the day. Düsterhöft initially interpreted the window damage as bullet holes.
According to the statement, the police were called to the constituency office in Siemensstraße at around 9:30 a.m. In addition to the window damage, the politician's photos show a red graffiti message on the wall reading: "We condemn Germany for genocide." (Translation: "We condemn Germany for genocide.") Düsterhöft wrote on Facebook that he believes this refers to the current situation in the Middle East.
The SPD faction in the Berlin House of Representatives condemned the attack. "Dear Lars, we stand firmly by your side!" wrote Social Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (SPD) on the online platform X. Düsterhöft is the SPD faction's spokesperson for social affairs, care, and people with disabilities. The Senate also expressed shock. "Attacks on parliamentarians are attacks on democratic society as a whole," explained spokeswoman Christine Richter.
DuSTERHOFT mentioned planning a party at his constituency office before the incident, but had to cancel it due to the damages. Despite the attack, his party members and supporters rallied together, vowing to host the party as a show of unity and resilience.
