36 crimes since Hamas attack on Israel at demonstrations

Since the attack by the Hamas terror militia on Israel on October 7, a total of 36 politically motivated crimes have been reported to the Saxony State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in connection with it. Half were detected at demonstrations in Chemnitz, Dresden, Leipzig and Pirna, the Interior Ministry said in response to a request from the German Press Agency. In addition to five violations of the Assembly Act, it had been mainly popular incitement and property damage.

But also because of using signs of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations, violation of flags and emblems of foreign states, threat, public incitement or advocacy of criminal acts, as well as threat, dangerous bodily harm and insult is being investigated.

To date, 14 demonstrations have been reported in connection with the events in the Middle East, six of them pro-Israeli and eight pro-Palestinian. According to ministry sources, they proceeded "largely without disruption." At individual mainly pro-Palestinian events, there were "isolated crimes typical of gatherings" - police officers were not injured.

The number of politically motivated crimes with an anti-Semitic background in Saxony has been increasing for years. In 2022, according to statistics, a total of 173 cases were registered, after 167 and 157 in the previous two years - and 109 so far for 2023.