Memorial plaque for B. Efe unveiled: Protest against the city of Kassel's financing!

Memorial plaque for B. Efe unveiled: Protest against the city of Kassel's financing!

On October 26, 2025, a memorial plaque for B. Efe, a victim of racist violence, was ceremoniously unveiled in Kassel. Efe, who was brutally attacked as a minicar driver on June 21, 2020, continues to suffer the physical and psychological consequences of the incident. Despite the rainy weather, around 50 supporters were present at the unveiling at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 61a to show their solidarity.

The memorial plaque bears the haunting sentence by B. Efe: “So that it never happens again!” A QR code on the board refers to the website solidaritaetmitefe.de, which provides helpful information and contact points for those affected by racist violence. B. Efe himself was present, but only had his photo taken from behind and played a touching voice message.

Ongoing criticism of the city of Kassel

The solidarity group that has supported Efe since the attack expressed their dissatisfaction with the city's financial support. In her opinion, the city did not do justice with just 1,000 euros, considering that the total cost of the memorial plaque was 8,500 euros. The city would have covered the entire cost if there had been a general text to commemorate inhumane attacks.

A member of the solidarity group emphasized that there is a lack of sensitive treatment of the victims of racist violence in Kassel. This criticism was firmly rejected by Mayor Sven Schoeller. He emphasized the common goal of the city and the solidarity group to warn against racially motivated violence and to campaign for a better society.

The social context

The unveiling of the plaque also comes in the context of alarming statistics. According to the Association of Advice Centers for Those Affected by Right-Wing, Racist and Anti-Semitic Violence (VBRG), the number of right-wing attacks increased by more than 20 percent in 2023. Racism remains the dominant motive in more than half of the cases. In East Germany, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein alone, 3,384 people are affected by right-wing politically motivated attacks.

What is particularly worrying is the increase in anti-Semitic attacks by a third compared to the previous year. Assault crimes account for more than half of recorded attacks, and racist attacks rose by 33 percent. Attacks on children and young people are also becoming more and more frequent, which highlights the urgency of further action.

At the commemoration, Mamadou Saliou Diallo, the brother of Oury Jalloh, who died in a police cell in 2005, expressed his support for B. Efe and remembered the victims. Together with those present, he chanted: “Oury Jalloh, that was murder.” These words resonate not only in Kassel, but also throughout society and call for action.

The memory of B. Efe and the critical voices regarding the current conditions show that there is still a lot to be done. The road to a solidarity-based and respectful society is rocky, but there are people who are ready to work for change.