For the first time since 2015, more attacks on refugee shelters

With the increasing number of refugees, the attacks on asylum seeker homes in Germany have increased for the first time since 2015 – and by a lot. In 2022 there were 121 attacks on refugee shelters. That was an increase of 73 percent compared to the previous year, when there were 70 such crimes. This is the result of preliminary figures from the Federal Ministry of the Interior in response to a small inquiry from the left-wing faction, about which the “Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung” (NOZ) reports. The crimes were mostly right-wing motivated.

The reason for the increase is the expiry of the Corona requirements and the increased number of refugees. In 2022, almost 218,000 asylum seekers came to Germany - as many as last in 2016. There were also almost a million people from Ukraine who do not have to apply for asylum but are granted protection in a faster procedure.

According to the ministry, the authorities recorded an additional 1,248 attacks against asylum seekers or refugees outside of accommodation last year. That was about as many as in the previous year with 1259 cases.

Despite the trend reversal, attacks on refugee shelters are significantly lower than during the 2015 refugee crisis, when 1,047 attacks against asylum seeker shelters were recorded. Since then, the number has declined from year to year, reaching its lowest level in 2021 at 70. It involves robberies, attacks, property damage and physical attacks.

The refugee policy spokeswoman for the left-wing faction, Clara Bünger, who had made the request, was alarmed. Bünger told the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung": "Refugees who are looking for safety and protection here are terrified." Bünger recalled the violent riots against a refugee hostel in Rostock-Lichtenhagen in 1992: "Let's wait until Rostock-Lichtenhagen repeats itself?"