Freie Universität (FU) Berlin Berlin (KNA) Following an attack on a Jewish student on a street in Berlin-Mitte, the President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster, has once again called for universities not to become “no-go areas” for Jews. Universities must create a safe environment for Jewish students and not give extremists any room, he told the Bild newspaper (Tuesday, online). At the latest when verbal violence turns into physical violence, the threat situation should be clear to everyone.
Back in November, Schuster had already spoken of “no-go areas” in relation to universities, as they have been heavily criticised for dealing with anti-Semitism since the Hamas terror attack on Israel on 7 October. Jewish students reported that some of them no longer went to university out of fear.
Schuster also emphasised via the Central Council on Tuesday: “Anyone who beats up a Jewish fellow student because he is Jewish has no place at a German university.” The suspect is said to be a student at Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, just like the man who was attacked.
“The FU Berlin is responsible for ensuring that there is no place for extremism and anti-Semitism in its ranks. The appeasement tactics and excuses of the university management must finally come to an end. If the fight against anti-Semitism is taken seriously, anti-Semitic offences must lead to exmatriculation,” explained Schuster.
According to the police, the 30-year-old Jewish student, who is said to have expressed pro-Israeli views on social media, was injured during an argument on Friday. Prior to this, an argument had apparently developed between him and the 23-year-old suspect, who is said to have pro-Palestinian views.
The younger man then allegedly punched the older man several times in the face. The suspect is said to have kicked the man lying on the ground and then fled. Emergency services were alerted and the 30-year-old, who had suffered fractures to his face, was taken to hospital. Investigators found the suspected offender in his flat and the rooms were searched. The State Security Police took over the investigation.
The injured student is the brother of satirist Shahak Shapira, as he wrote on the X platform. According to this, there was no argument between the two men before the physical attack.