A conviction has been issued over an attack in northern Germany that injured a Ghanaian girl and her father.
According to initial police findings, an 8-year-old Ghanaian girl and her 10-year-old sister were attacked by a group of about 20 teenagers and young adults. The 8-year-old and her father, who intervened, were taken to hospital with mild injuries.
The attack took place on Friday evening in the town of Grevesmühlen in the northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The attackers allegedly kicked the younger girl in the face. When the children’s parents intervened, a fight broke out.
Police arrive on the scene as the insults reportedly continue
When police arrived on the scene, one person from the group allegedly hurled racial slurs at the victims as they left.
The police are now investigating disturbance of public order, serious bodily harm, incitement to hatred and insult. Officers are looking for witnesses to the incident. They took down names after arriving on the scene and some of these people are possible suspects, a spokesperson for the police control center told dpa.
Mayor speaks of ‘bottomless hatred’
Grevesmühl Mayor Lars Prahler told German public radio station NDR 1 Radio MV that he was shocked by the violence.
“This racially motivated offense simply leaves me stunned. It shows abysmal hatred and rampant inhumanity and cannot be excused.” The fact that they were teenagers is also no excuse, he said.
Prahler expressed his condolences to the girls’ family and announced that he would contact them in the near future.
The local town party on Saturday will continue despite the incident. “Because we do not want such actions by marginalized groups to dictate how we want to live together as an urban society,” the mayor said.
“I believe that we are currently living in very difficult times, when complex problems are public and those who use boring slogans and simple solutions can harass people,” Prahler said. It is time for the majority of society, which opposes society’s descent into racist images, to raise its voice and set an example, he said.
State politicians say there is no place for racism in society
Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern wrote about X: “The injured girl is 8 years old – as young as my daughter. We must not allow hatred and hate speech to poison our society and violence to threaten our children.”
Interior Minister Christian Pegel condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms. “You don’t attack people, especially children, and certainly not for racist reasons,” he said on Saturday.
Politicians call on young people to find the perpetrators
Jana Michael, Commissioner for Integration in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, spoke on Saturday about a “despicable and shocking act”. She called on the members of the youth group to name the perpetrators and not remain silent under peer pressure.
“Any witness who remains silent is complicit and hinders the investigation into this disgusting violence against children.”
The district administrator of Northwest Mecklenburg, Tino Schomann, spoke of an intolerable crossing of a red line.
“Despicable acts like these leave me speechless.” There is no place for violence in the neighborhood. “These kinds of actions are shameful. Attacking the weakest members of our society from a group can hardly be surpassed in cowardice!”
Nikolaus Kramer, leader of the far-right parliamentary group Alternative for Germany (AfD), which is strongly opposed to immigration, also condemned the attack.
“This brazen lack of restraint towards children is appalling and must be punished consistently. There is nothing to excuse or trivialize here!”
Many in Germany blame the AfD for increased tensions over immigration and the tone of the debate.
Left-wing domestic politician Michael Noetzel said: “What on earth is going on in our federal state? The racist attack in Grevesmühlen cannot be surpassed in its viciousness.” He was at a loss for words when confronted with such a cruel and cowardly act.
“Not only in Grevesmühlen, but also in Schwerin, Rostock and other places in the state, racist and Nazi perpetrators apparently feel increasingly emboldened and authorized to strike.”
