According to a report by the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, titled "Attacks on Mosques in 2022," 35 mosques in Germany were subjected to threats and assaults in various forms throughout the year.
The report reveals that out of the 35 incidents, 20 attacks involved sending insulting, abusive, and threatening messages to mosques via regular mail or email. Additionally, graffiti was found on the walls of seven mosques, while six mosques suffered material damages. Disturbingly, two mosques were intentionally set on fire.
Of the targeted mosques, 26 belong to the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, while others are affiliated with different Islamic communities.
The report further highlights that in 2021, 43 mosques were subjected to attacks, and the number rose to 111 in 2020, indicating a disturbing trend.
It should be noted that these figures represent only recorded attacks, and the actual number may be higher if unreported incidents are taken into account.
In a recent incident that added to the concerns, images circulated depicting an attack on a mosque in Bad Bentheim, a town in northwestern Germany. The images showed writings expressing support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) on the mosque's walls.
Local Turkish media reported that unidentified individuals targeted the Bad Bentheim Mosque, affiliated with the Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs, by inscribing the name of the PKK and its leader, Abdullah Öcalan, on the walls.
Haki Gümuşkoşağ, President of the Bad Bentheim Mosque Association, expressed the mosque's distress caused by the writings associating it with the terrorist organization PKK and its leader. He strongly condemned the brazen daytime attack on the mosque, emphasizing its unacceptability.
The Turkish minority in northwestern Germany has called on the authorities to launch an investigation into this act of aggression perpetrated by sympathizers of the Kurdistan Workers' Party against the mosque.
These incidents underscore the urgent need for increased efforts to protect religious institutions and promote religious tolerance and harmony within German society.