Israeli beaten by men singing anti-Semitic songs in Berlin

Berlin police are investigating an attack on an Israeli citizen who was beaten by a group of young men after he asked them to stop singing anti-Semitic songs on the subway in the German capital on New Year’s Eve.

Police spokesman Martin Dahms said Monday that police have not yet been able to identify the attackers, but are evaluating video footage of the incident.

The victim, 26-year-old Shahak Shapira, who lives in Berlin, told The Associated Press that after he asked the seven men to stop chanting anti-Jewish and anti-Israeli songs and slurs, he recorded them on his cell phone.

When he got off at the next subway stop, the men, who Shapira said were speaking both German and Arabic, followed him and demanded he delete his video. When he refused, some of the men spat on him and beat and kicked him, injuring his head.

The World Jewish Congress condemned the attack sharply and said the incident illustrated the growing exposure of Jews to violent forms of anti-Semitism in Europe.

Just like everybody else, Israeli citizens have a right to live in Europe in safety, without being singled out on the basis of their nationality or faith,” WJC Associate Executive Vice-President Maram Stern told the AP.

Stern called on the authorities to do “everything in their power to prevent such attacks.”

Associated Press