Anti-Muslim hate escalates in Germany

A 2026 report reveals a disturbing rise in anti-Muslim incidents across Germany, documenting a record 4,096 cases in 2025. This figure represents an average of more than 11 incidents daily, marking a significant 33% increase from the 3,080 cases recorded in 2024. The "Civil Report on Anti-Muslim Racism" by the CLAIM foundation details a grim reality for Muslims in the country.

“

The numbers in the CLAIM report are shocking and appalling, but they unfortunately reflect a reality that many Muslims in Germany have been living for years.

The documented incidents encompass a range of offenses, including 2,379 verbal attacks (61.1%), 840 instances of discrimination (21.5%), and 680 cases of harmful or violent behavior (17.4%). Alarmingly, the report notes a surge in explicit physical violence, with two reported killings, 214 physical assaults (including four severe assaults or attempted murders), 320 cases of property damage, and five instances of arson. Women, particularly those identifiable as Muslim such as the hijab-wearing, were disproportionately affected, constituting 64.5% of victims whose gender was recorded. They face a dangerous intersection of racism and sexism.

Religious institutions have also been targeted, with 64 attacks on mosques and community centers recorded. Anti-Muslim racism permeates daily life, with the digital space and internet being the most frequent sites (53.9%), followed by public spaces (16.7%) and educational institutions (8.9%). Beyond violence and discrimination, the report warns of a severe erosion of trust between the Muslim community and state institutions. In 2025, approximately 66% of Muslims expressed a lack of confidence in the German federal government, with only 14% trusting politicians.

“

When hatred reaches the point of taking lives, while a suspicious silence prevails among segments of the political, media, and societal elites, we are not just witnessing the assassination of individuals, but the assassination of the moral and human values upon which our democratic society is based.

"The numbers in the CLAIM report are shocking and appalling, but they unfortunately reflect a reality that many Muslims in Germany have been living for years," said Abd Samad Al-Yazidi, president of the Central Council of Muslims in Germany. "When hatred reaches the point of taking lives, while a suspicious silence prevails among segments of the political, media, and societal elites, we are not just witnessing the assassination of individuals, but the assassination of the moral and human values upon which our democratic society is based." He added that silence in the face of growing anti-Muslim sentiment is a moral and societal crime, as hate speech leads to discrimination, which leads to violence, which is then tolerated and results in bloodshed.

“

The silence in the face of growing anti-Muslim sentiment is a moral and societal crime, as hate speech leads to discrimination, which leads to violence, and violence that is tolerated ends in bloodshed.