Study finds nearly 900 anti-Muslim incidents occurred in Germany last year

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - A total of 898 anti-Muslim incidents were recorded in Germany last year, while the number of unreported cases remains high, according to a situation report released on Monday by the Berlin-based non-governmental organization the Alliance Against Islamophobia and Muslim Hostility.

According to the study, racism is part of everyday life for Muslims in Germany, with many recorded cases involving women.

Among the documented cases were 500 verbal attacks, including inflammatory statements, insults, threats and coercion. Eleven threatening letters to mosques with "often excessive threats of violence and death" were also recorded. The letters contained Nazi symbols or references to the Nazi era.

In addition, the report mentioned 190 cases of discrimination and 167 cases of "injurious behavior." The latter category included 71 cases of bodily harm, 44 cases of property damage, three arson attacks and 49 other acts of violence.

In addition, racially motivated attacks on young people and children are increasing, it said. There are cases where women were attacked in the presence of their children and pregnant women were kicked or hit in the stomach.

The authors of the study assume that the number of unreported cases is high because there is no broad media coverage. The first situation report included data from 10 advice centers in five German states as well as reports via the "I-Report" portal, statistics for politically motivated violence, and police and press reports.

Anti-Muslim crimes are often not recognized as such or those affected did not report them due to a lack of trust in the authorities, the report said. That is why the report calls for, among other things, the expansion of reporting structures and raising awareness of the topic by authorities, schools and the health sector.

A country of over 84 million people, Germany has the second-largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. It is home to nearly 5 million Muslims, according to official figures.

Germany has witnessed growing racism and Islamophobia in recent years fueled by the propaganda of far-right groups and parties which have exploited the refugee crisis and attempted to stoke fear of immigrants.