Jewish student beaten up in Berlin – now he tells his story Stadler Rail receives 600 million order from Saudi Arabia

Lahav Shapira doesn’t want to show his broken face – in the interview with Israeli broadcaster N12, the 30-year-old is only seen from behind as he tells his story. The Jewish student from the Free University of Berlin was injured on Saturday evening and was taken to hospital. A pro-Palestinian fellow student allegedly punched and kicked him on the street in Berlin-Mitte. Now the horror is great.

The case is seen not only as renewed evidence of the hostility against Jews in Germany since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, and not only as a sign of the bitter conflict on the streets and in Berlin’s universities. The victim is also the grandson of one of those killed in the 1972 Munich Olympic attack and the brother of comedian Shahak Shapira.

“This vicious attack leaves me stunned,” Berlin Prime Minister Kai Wegner wrote on the X platform, formerly Twitter, on Monday. “Jewish people should feel safe everywhere in Berlin – including in our universities!”

What the police announced about the crime

The Berlin police reported on the case under the headline “Dispute between students escalated.” “An argument initially broke out between the 30-year-old man of Jewish faith, who is said to represent pro-Israel views on social media, and the 23-year-old student, who is said to have pro-Palestinian views ,” the police report said.

“During the course of the argument, the younger man allegedly suddenly punched the older man in the face several times, causing him to fall. The opponent allegedly kicked the man lying on the ground and eventually fled across Torstrasse in the direction of Ackerstrasse. The suspected perpetrator was caught. State security is now investigating the possible political motivation, a police spokeswoman said. A possible anti-Semitic motivation is also being examined.

Lahav Shapira told it this way in the Israeli television interview: “He suddenly hit me from the side, and then another,” said the wounded man in the hospital. “Then I lost my balance. I tried to get up, but then he kicked me in the face.” The attacker then ran away. An Israeli friend who witnessed the incident told the Israeli broadcaster: “I was shocked. It was terrible. And it all happened so fast.”

The victim’s brother feared escalation

Lahav’s brother Shahak Shapira was even clearer about X: “There was no political debate whatsoever. He was recognized by the attacker in the bar, who followed him and his companion, spoke aggressively and then punched him in the face unannounced.

And he clearly linked this to his brother’s political involvement in Berlin since October 7: ‘In the way he has slandered and ‘tagged’ his fair or unjust resistance in the FU in recent months on the Internet. and I feared it from the beginning.”

It is unknown how the suspected perpetrator presents the case. Berlin lawyer Ehssan Khazaeli, who is defending the suspect, explained in response to a DPA request that the extensive investigation by the Special Development Organization (BAO) of the Berlin Police for the Middle East must first be awaited. “On my advice, the suspect will not comment on matters relevant to the proceedings,” Khazaeli said on Monday evening.

Since October 7, there have been repeated incidents at universities in Germany that were considered anti-Semitic or anti-Israel: in Berlin, for example, there were actions, graffiti and posts in chat groups. The president of the Jewish Student Union, Hanna Veiler, complained in an interview with the German Press Agency at the end of 2023: “There are hardly any consequences for such students.”

However, the FU has filed several criminal complaints, many of which allege violations in connection with an occupation of the lecture hall in mid-December by the group “FU Students for a Free Palestine”. Some groups criticize what they see as one-sided solidarity between universities and Israel.

University wants to consider legal action

Now the FU also reacted with dismay. The university’s executive committee led by Günter Ziegler said they were “deeply shocked by the brutal, suspected anti-Semitic attack on a Jewish student at our university.” “If it is confirmed that the perpetrator is a student at the Free University of Berlin, the university will immediately investigate possible legal action under the restraining order and enforce a restraining order if necessary.”

The university sent well wishes to the injured person. The FU emphasized that it is doing “everything in its power” to prevent Jewish students from being threatened on campus.

The federal government’s anti-Semitism commissioner, Felix Klein, called for detailed clarification of the background and, if necessary, its consequences. “If the previous indications are confirmed and the attack is based on anti-Semitic motives, then the perpetrator must face the full force of the law,” Klein told the German Editorial Network.

In this case, the Vrije Universiteit should also think about exmatriculation. Berlin’s head of government, Wegner, also warned that he expects university management to take consistent action against anti-Semitism and actively intervene “if such developments come to light.” (sda/dpa)