Syrian community in Germany raises outcry of rejection against crime and terrorism

Enab Baladi – Hassan Ibrahim

The knife attack in the western German city of Solingen, in which three people were killed and eight others injured, has deeply shocked both the German public and the refugee community, especially the Syrian refugee community, since it is known that the perpetrator was a Syrian citizen and that the terrorist militia “Islamic State” has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The incident provoked reactions in the centers of power and some opposition parties that oppose the presence of refugees or advocate reducing their numbers. But it also reflected Syrians' love of peace, their rejection of terrorism and violence, and their desire to live, at least temporarily, in a geographical area that protects them from the horrors of displacement, racism and violence. They want to correct the distorted image tarnished by the circumstances of the past 13 years.

The attack occurred in a country that has hosted and hosted around one million Syrians, raising fears that they would face a more negative and stereotypical view. In the aftermath, voices of Syrians condemning the attack were heard on social media and solidarity protests were organised with the families of the victims, including minutes of silence for the souls of the victims.

Random stabbings

The attack occurred on August 23 during a festival in Solingen's city center to mark the city's 650th anniversary. The perpetrator randomly stabbed numerous partygoers with a knife, leaving three people dead and eight others injured.

The next day, the perpetrator, a 26-year-old Syrian, turned himself in to the German authorities. The terrorist group “Islamic State” claimed responsibility for the attack. High-ranking officials then took steps to strengthen deportation measures and planned to introduce a package of measures in the area of ​​asylum and security policy.

The perpetrator came from the city of Deir Ezzor and lived in a refugee shelter in Solingen. He had entered the European Union via Bulgaria in 2022 and applied for asylum in the German city of Bielefeld.

The Central Immigration Authority in Bielefeld was criticized for taking insufficient measures to locate him and persuade him to return to Bulgaria, as he was originally due to be deported to Bulgaria in 2023 under the Dublin Regulation.

Condemnation and rejection by Syrians

On August 31, Syrian and Arab activists in Germany organized a humanitarian stand at the scene of the stabbing in solidarity with the families of the victims of the Solingen attack, following a call for it on social media.

Syrian boxer Haidar Warda, who lives in Germany, said Enab Baladi During his expression of solidarity, he said: “The criminal represents only himself and not the Syrians.” He added that the German people had embraced the Syrians and stood by them when the Arab countries had abandoned them.

He stressed the need for solidarity with the German people and condemned all crimes against the country that has hosted refugees. He expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.

Warda believes that the Syrians have shown their constructive side to the German people in recent years by providing doctors, engineers, workers and expertise in various fields. He stated that “killing and crime are forbidden in all customs and religions and the perpetrator does not represent the Syrians.”

Azeddine, a young participant in the solidarity stand, said: Enab Baladi that the Syrian people suffered under the fire of terrorist organizations and sought refuge in Germany from the horrors of war, bombing, destruction and death, to save what was left of their lives and their future, in search of a place where they would feel “simply human.”

The young man condemned the incident, adding that he came to Germany about a year ago and felt it was his duty to show solidarity with the families of the victims and to send a message of solidarity to the German people and this country for what they have offered the refugees and for integrating them into a new society.

The Syrians issued a joint statement circulating on social media and signed by several writers, researchers, novelists and activists, expressing their full solidarity with the families of the innocent victims, wishing a speedy recovery to the injured and calling for the punishment of the perpetrators and those who helped or supported them.

The statement said Syrians initially sought refuge in Germany after suffering “the terrorism of tyranny, dictatorship, Islamic extremism and its armed militias, as well as systematic killing, detention, torture, enforced disappearance, destruction and displacement.”

It went on to say that Syrians had come in search of freedom, dignity, human rights, democracy and better educational and professional opportunities for themselves and their children. The surest way to counter such actions was to affirm the values ​​of coexistence.

Lilas Dakhlallah, a Germany-based researcher in social media studies, believes that the knife attack in Solingen had a negative impact on the German public and society, as it reinforced prejudices and generalizations against refugees and deepened the divide between migrants and citizens.

The researcher said Enab Baladi that attitudes of solidarity are important because they reflect the refugees' rejection of these crimes and highlight the need to punish criminals in every society.

Measures to tighten asylum law

Following the attack in Solingen, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Justice Minister Marco Buschmann announced on 29 August the details of a package of measures in the area of ​​asylum and security policy, which they described as “comprehensive measures” aimed at improving migration control and increasing internal security.

Among the new measures to be voted on by the German Bundestag is the denial of asylum to refugees who return to their home country without compelling humanitarian reasons, such as attending the funeral of a relative.

The measures also include a ban on carrying knives on public transport (over long distances), an extension of the federal police's powers to search train stations and use stun guns (tasers), and a complete ban on knives at public events such as festivals, fairs and markets.

In addition, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will be given the authority to use biometric data from the Internet to verify the identity of migrants. In addition, a Dublin task force will be set up by the federal and state governments to facilitate the deportation of refugees registered in other European countries.

Positive environment for refugees

Germany is one of the countries that welcomes Syrian refugees in its country and grants them the right to work, access to education and career opportunities, as well as providing them with integration courses, legal advice and numerous resources.

According to the Federal Statistical Office, the number of Syrian refugees in Germany is estimated at around 972,000 by the end of 2023; Germany's population is around 82 million.

In 2023, more than 351,000 people applied for asylum in Germany, with the proportion of Syrian applicants estimated at 31.3 percent.

Syria led the way in initial applications for 2023 with over 102,000 applications, an increase of around 45 percent compared to 2022, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BMAF).

In April of this year, the Federal Commissioner for the Integration of Refugees into the Labor Market, Daniel Terzenbach, stated that around 70 percent of Syrian men had a job. “We still have a lot of catching up to do when it comes to integrating women,” he added.