Three people from Göttingen arrested for pro-Palestinian graffiti!

Three people from Göttingen arrested for pro-Palestinian graffiti!

In recent weeks, pro-Palestinian graffiti has repeatedly been noticed in the Göttingen region and beyond, which has now led to more intensive police persecution. Today it was announced that the police in Kassel have arrested three young people who are suspected of decorating an insurance building with politically motivated graffiti. Those arrested, a 22-year-old man and two women aged 19 and 21, all come from the Göttingen district. The crime occurred on Thursday night when residents alerted the police around 2:45 a.m. after unknown people had daubed the facade with slogans related to the Middle East conflict. The graffiti also included the words “Free Gaza,” and window panes were also damaged by stones being thrown.

The police immediately launched a manhunt and were able to control the suspected perpetrators about half an hour after the crime. The emergency services found several spray cans and other evidence. Those arrested were taken to police headquarters, but were released on Thursday morning. However, you now have to answer for property damage. The total damage to the affected insurance building is estimated at around 10,000 euros. This act is classified by state security as politically motivated and investigations are ongoing. A connection to previous damage to property at the SPD office in Kassel, where pro-Palestinian slogans were also sprayed, is also being examined. Here, too, windows were damaged at the end of September, causing damage of around 15,000 euros.

Politically motivated crimes on the rise

The incident in Kassel is not the only one in the recent past. Several similar acts have already been committed in Göttingen, most recently against the editorial building of the Göttinger Tageblatt. According to reports, there have been a total of five such incidents within a few weeks, prompting police to increase their presence at potentially vulnerable buildings. The total damage caused by these pro-Palestinian graffiti in the region amounts to over 60,000 euros. The police have already announced that the investigations here will be supported by state security with a high level of staff.

The increase in such incidents is part of a larger trend in Germany. In 2023, a total of more than 84,000 politically motivated crimes were recorded - the highest number since these statistics began to be recorded in 2001. According to the Federal Criminal Police Office, this increase is due to various factors, including elections and the long-simmering Middle East conflict. Politically motivated acts of violence, particularly in connection with demonstrations and protests, have increased dramatically in recent years, which is also visible in Göttingen.

Göttingen police chief Marco Hansmann has made it clear that the incidents are being taken seriously and that the safety of citizens is the top priority. At the same time, videos of the acts were published on social media, but some of them are no longer available. This shows the dynamics and potential risk associated with such high-profile actions.