In Germany, migrants are experiencing an increasing number of hate crimes. In the first half of this year, the Interior Ministry recorded more than 200 attacks on the housing of refugees, including arson and vandalism. Activist groups say there have also been nearly 50 attacks on individual migrants. Nearly 180,000 people have applied for asylum in Germany this year, many of them Syrians. The interior minister has called the pattern of crimes “unacceptable.”

German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière: “At the same time, we also know that there is a growing number of attacks against asylum seekers and institutions for asylum seekers, less so in Eisenhüttenstadt, but in other places. That is incomprehensible, unacceptable and undignified for our country. We will work against this with all the strength of the rule of law and political power that we have.”