Arson Attempt at German Synagogue Highlights Rising Antisemitism

Police in Wuppertal, Germany, arrested a suspect Thursday afternoon in connection with an attempted arson at a local synagogue. Authorities allege the suspect threw several bags filled with flammable liquid at the synagogue's side entrance, set them ablaze, and then fled the scene. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured.

Wuppertal is located in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which recorded 1,102 antisemitic incidents last year, an increase from 940 in 2023. The city has a population of approximately 360,000, including about 2,500 Jews.

Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep concern over the incident, noting it occurred during the High Holy Days. "What deeply worries me is the composure with which he acted in broad daylight in Wuppertal," Schuster told the "Jüdische Allgemeine" newspaper. "There is no trace of shame or that he is doing something wrong. This is an act that shows how much the normalization of antisemitism has increased."

Schuster added that such attacks during holy days aim to instill fear and further marginalize Jewish life from public spaces. He emphasized that Jewish communities will not be deterred and expect security authorities to protect worshippers, especially with Yom Kippur approaching.

However, the article notes that past incidents suggest caution in labeling this attack as purely antisemitic. In July 2014, during Operation Protective Edge, a similar attack involved three Palestinians throwing Molotov cocktails at a Wuppertal synagogue. While the fire was extinguished without injury, the court later ruled that the perpetrators, who claimed to be drunk and acting out of anger over the Gaza operation, were politically motivated rather than antisemitic. Higher courts upheld this decision, classifying it as an attack against Israeli policy, not against Jews.