This archive report was first published on 10 October 2019.
On October 9, 2019, a gunman attempted to attack a synagogue in Halle, Germany, live-streaming the incident as the Jewish community observed Yom Kippur. The attack was widely condemned across Europe, with leaders expressing their condolences and calling for a moment of silence.
According to official figures published in May 2019, anti-Semitic crime and hate crimes targeting foreigners have increased almost 20 percent in Germany over the past year. The data included a wide range of offenses, including assault, insults, graffiti, hateful postings online, and the use of Nazi symbols.
Many Jewish institutions in Germany, including synagogues, schools, and cultural centers, are guarded by the local police. In Berlin, which has the country's largest Jewish population, the police have also provided security to cafes, restaurants, and shops owned and frequented by Jews.
Earlier this year, Germany's top official for efforts against anti-Semitism warned that Jews should not wear their skullcaps everywhere in public. The warning came as the country grapples with a rise in anti-Semitic incidents.
Halle, with a population of 230,000, is 100 miles southwest of Berlin and is the largest city in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt. It boasts Gothic and Renaissance architecture, but today is a regional seat of trade and commerce.
As news of the attack spread, condemnation and concern flowed in from across Europe. The president of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, expressed his condolences and called for a moment of silence. The Anti-Defamation League in New York called the attack 'heartbreaking' and 'devastating,' and thanked those in law enforcement for keeping 'our houses of worship and communal institutions safe and secure on this day and every day, in the U.S. and around the world.'
