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A young man was attacked on a German train after the perpetrator saw he was wearing a Star of David necklace.
The 24-year-old victim was riding the number 3 tram on Friday morning in the eastern city of Erfurt, Thuringia, when the assault took place.
His attacker boarded the train and recognised his Star of David jewellery, before attempting to pull the man off the train, police said.
The antisemite then repeatedly kicked the young man before getting off.
After the injured victim got off the train at Europaplatz, the pair then bumped into each other a second time.
The man threatened the victim again before leaving.
The police, who could not track down the perpetrator, say they have video footage of the attack on the train.
The force continued: ‘We classify the attack as a politically motivated crime.’
The assailant was described as being around 30 years old, around 6’0″, ‘German-looking’ and with short blond hair.
He was wearing a white hoodie, a black jacket, black construction worker trousers with green patch pockets, and black work shoes.
Several passengers witnessed the altercation, it’s understood.
The Thuringia State Chancellery said: ‘The state government condemns in the strongest possible terms the obviously antisemitic attack on a young man in Erfurt this morning.’
The Commissioner for Jewish Life in Thuringia and the Fight against Antisemitism, Michael Panse, added that the state is currently experiencing a sharp increase in antisemitic incidents.
He added: ‘The fact that insults and threats are now turning into physical attacks demands an even stronger commitment and active commitment from all of us to protect our Jewish fellow citizens.’
The topic of growing antisemitism in Germany was thrust back into the spotlight in September after a shopkeeper put up a sign saying ‘Jews are banned’.
Hans Velten Reisch, 60, owns and operates a small shop in Flensburg, and put up the sign reading ‘Jews are banned from here! Nothing personal. No antisemitism. Just can’t stand you’ last week.
Police were alerted to the shocking sign shortly after it was put up, and protesters have since defaced the front of the shop.
Flensburg Mayor Fabian Geyer said: ‘This is a reminder of the darkest chapters of Germany’s history and has absolutely no place in this city.’
Official figures, published in June, also show that antisemitism is on the rise in Germany.
There were nearly 24 anti-Semitic incidents per day in 2024, an increase of 77% compared to the previous year.
In total, the Federal Association of Research and Information Centers on Antisemitism (RIAS) recorded 8,627 incidents last year.
More than 500 of these came from people with a right-wing extremist background.
The country’s anti-Semitism Commissioner Klein warned against opponents of Israel’s war in Gaza collectively blaming Jewish people in Germany.
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