A Jewish synagogue in the northwestern German city of Oldenburg became the latest target of anti-Semitic violence as it was firebombed on Friday, according to reports from the Associated Press.
The incident occurred when an incendiary device was thrown at the synagogue's door. Fortunately, the fire did not spread and did not require the fire service to arrive in order to extinguish it.
Authorities are currently conducting an investigation to apprehend the perpetrator behind the attack. While the motive remains unclear, Police Chief Andreas Sagehorn denounced the act as "cowardly."
“We will take this attack as grounds to raise the security measures at the Oldenburg synagogue immediately,” Sagehorn said in a statement.
This act of violence comes amidst a concerning trend of rising antisemitic sentiments in Germany following the recent conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. According to the AP, incidents of antisemitism in Germany have surged by 320% in the month following Hamas' initial attacks on Israel.
Similarly, the United States has also witnessed an increase in antisemitic incidents. Data from the Anti-Defamation League revealed a 360% rise in antisemitic incidents between the period of the October 7 attack and January compared to the same timeframe in the previous year.
“The American Jewish community is facing a threat level that’s now unprecedented in modern history,” said ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt. “It’s shocking that we’ve recorded more antisemitic acts in three months than we usually would in an entire year.”
