Suspects identified after the theft of Israeli flags
Israeli flags that had been hung on the market square in Hanau have been torn down and stolen twice in the past few days. The police state security service and the Hanau public prosecutor's office have now identified two suspects. They are an 18-year-old youth and a 20-year-old man, the investigators announced on Tuesday. The 18-year-old's home was searched on Tuesday morning. Various pieces of evidence were seized, which substantiated the suspicion.
The 18-year-old is said to have stolen the flag with another man on October 22, apparently urinated on it and then set it alight. The city of Hanau filed a criminal complaint. The evaluation of a video published on social networks showed the course of events, the investigators announced. The suspicion was confirmed by further investigations.
Following the incident, the city of Hanau once again had an Israeli flag hung up on the market square. This was reportedly torn down and stolen again early on Sunday morning. During an immediate manhunt, a drunken 20-year-old suspect was found and initially arrested. The stolen flag was discovered in a garbage can. The investigation into the two incidents is reportedly ongoing.
The ongoing investigation into the incidents of flag theft in Hanau also uncovered potential links to local conflicts related to extremist views, as some social media posts suggested a notion of crime and hatred towards Israel. The police are scrutinizing these extremist groups for any involvement in the flag conflicts.
Source: www.dpa.com
