Two minors sentenced in Germany for brutal assault on Jewish man after being charged with antisemitic incitement

Two minors have been sentenced in Germany following a brutal assault on a Jewish man in Hamburg last year.

The court heard how the two unnamed brothers, aged seventeen and fifteen, approached a small demonstration against antisemitism and in support of Israel in the city in September 2021. The brothers, accompanied by a female friend, reportedly shouted “f**k Israel” and “Free Palestine” and insulted the demonstrators.

They then assaulted a 61-year-old demonstrator, leaving him with broken cheekbones, smashed glasses and a damaged eye, about which the victim now says: “I’m practically blind, I can only see light and dark in my right eye.”

The assailants fled the scene on rented scooters.

The brothers were charged with antisemitic incitement, and the elder was also charged with grievous bodily harm (GBH).

The elder brother received a sixteen-month suspended sentence, along with community service and anti-violence training, while the younger brother also received a community service order.

Stefan Hensel, Hamburg’s Antisemitism Commissioner, said: “This is a is a clear sign to all antisemitic violent criminals that their actions will not remain without consequences.”

Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on news and incidents relating to antisemitism in Germany, which have increased considerably.

Image credit: Jorge Franganillo