Germany sees rise in Islamophobic crimes

BERLIN

Germany recorded more than 1,550 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2024, according to official figures released Friday.

At least 54 mosques were attacked between January and December last year, with 53 people suffering injuries from Islamophobic violence.

The Interior Ministry released these figures in response to a parliamentary inquiry from opposition Left Party lawmaker Petra Pau.

German police documented 1,554 anti-Muslim hate crimes and attacks last year, an increase from 1,536 in the previous year. The incidents included social media harassment, threatening letters, disruption of religious practices, physical assaults, and property damage.

Germany has Western Europe's second-largest Muslim population after France, with nearly 5.5 million Muslims among its nearly 85 million residents.

In recent years, the country has seen a rise in anti-Muslim racism and violence, driven by far-right political parties and movements, including the opposition Alternative for Germany, or AfD.