Olaf Scholz condemns firebomb attack on Berlin synagogue

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned antisemitic attacks after Molotov cocktails were thrown at a synagogue in Berlin in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Two masked people escaped without being caught, according to German media reports, after throwing firebombs at the building — and missing their target.

“Fortunately, persons and buildings remained unharmed,” the synagogue announced Wednesday, adding that a criminal investigation has started.

Scholz — who is currently in Egypt, after visiting Israel on Tuesday — condemned the attacks against Jewish institutions, calling them “inhuman, abhorrent and not to be tolerated. Antisemitism has no place in Germany,” he said.

“My thanks go to the security forces, especially in this situation,” Scholz added.

However, German news outlet Tagesspiegel reported that the security officers protecting the building were present at the time of the attack, but failed both to prevent it happening and arrest the perpetrators.

The Molotov cocktail attack comes as European governments fear an increase in antisemitic acts as the fighting between Israel and Hamas escalates in the Middle East. Following the Hamas attack on Israel, Berlin ramped up police protection for Jewish institutions.