Germany sees big increase in anti-Semitic acts of violence

BERLIN – Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says the number of anti-Semitic acts of violence rose sharply last year alongside a further increase in those identified as far-right extremists.

The BfV agency said in its annual report Thursday the number of anti-Semitic acts of violence rose by 71.4 % in 2018 to 48 from 21 the previous year.

It also said that the number of far-right extremists rose by 100 to 24,100 people last year with more than half of them potentially violent.

Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said “we can find in almost all areas of far-right extremism hostile attitudes toward Jews … it’s a development that we must take, very, very, very seriously.”

He warned that migrants, Muslims and politicians were considered enemies by the far-right too.