Continuation of Islamophobia in Germany; attack on mosque in Leipzig.
A mosque in a German city was attacked by a number of left-wing extremists as it continued to insult the religious sanctity of Muslims in Europe.
As Islamophobic acts continued in Western Europe, a mosque in the eastern German city of Leipzig was attacked and destroyed by left-wing extremists.
During a rally by far-left groups east of Leipzig on Monday night, some protesters attacked the Ayub Sultan Mosque in the area and broke its windows, according to a statement from German police, according to the Anatolia news agency.
According to local media, a number of demonstrators also hurled stones at police officers, burning trash cans. German police say they have arrested 11 suspects in connection with the violence. The largest Turkish Muslim group in Germany, Ditib, which runs the Eyup Sultan Mosque in Leipzig, has condemned the attack and called for stronger protection of religious sites.
Germany, a country of more than 82 million people, has the second largest Muslim population in Western Europe after France. Of the country’s nearly five million Muslims, 3 million are Turks.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanan also announced on Monday that 21 mosques had been closed in the country recently. He claimed that there were signs of extremism inside 21 mosques during a recent inspection of 99 mosques. The French official said six more mosques would be closed in the coming days, in line with anti-extremism law.
