|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
A kosher cafe in Leipzig, Germany, was targeted in a violent antisemitic attack on Wednesday when a group of children and teenagers threw bottles, shouted racist slurs, and tried to break into the premises, authorities confirmed.
The incident began after a staff member noticed two children attempting to remove an Israeli flag displayed outside the cafe. When the employee confronted them, the children left the area.
Shortly afterward, the pair returned with several other youths and launched a coordinated attack.
Police said the group threw full plastic bottles at a cafe employee, striking her leg and causing minor injuries. During the assault, the children shouted racist and inflammatory remarks. They also attempted to force entry by smashing a window with a display stand. The cafe sustained damage estimated at approximately €100.
Police Investigate Known Juvenile Offenders
Leipzig police identified two primary suspects, aged 10 and 11, who are already known to law enforcement for prior offenses. Officers opened an investigation on suspicion of aggravated assault, property damage, and incitement to hatred.
Police emphasized that the suspects’ young age did not diminish the seriousness of the attack or its ideological nature.
Cafe Denounces Hatred of Israel and Jews
HaMakom Exhibition and Cafe, which operates under the ownership of a local evangelical church, said the assault reflected hostility toward Israel and Jewish life.
“This violence was characterized by hatred of Israel,” the cafe said in a public statement. It added that such attacks mirror what many Jewish people experience regularly from different segments of society.
The cafe reaffirmed its commitment to standing openly with Jewish life and opposing antisemitism in all forms.
“We continue to stand in friendship with Jewish life and against all forms of hatred of Jews and Israel,” HaMakom said. “This hatred was not directed at us. It is the atmosphere that our Jewish friends unfortunately often experience in various ways from different social groups. All hatred blinds. Am Yisrael Chai — the people of Israel live!”
Antisemitic Intimidation in Public Spaces
Although the physical damage was limited, the attack underscores a broader pattern of antisemitic intimidation worldwide. Jewish spaces, symbols, and institutions increasingly face open hostility.
Incidents like this one show how antisemitism moves quickly from rhetoric to action. When hatred targets visible Jewish life, it demands a clear and forceful response.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
