An Ecuadorian man was hospitalized following a vicious neo-Nazi attack in the eastern German city of Magdeburg, the weekly news magazine Der Spiegel reported Sunday. The unidentified 24-year victim was severely injured as he was waiting at a tramway stop early Saturday morning. The three assailants first insulted the Ecuadorian national and then beat him up, breaking his nose and inflicting multiple bruises on his body. Two female companions of the victim from Mexico and Germany were also attacked by the neo-Nazi thugs as they tried to protect their friend. The Mexican woman was slightly injured in the assault, according to the report. Police managed to arrest all three assailants, ages 18, 21 and 23.
The neo-Nazi movement is especially strong in formerly communist East Germany where foreigners are scapegoated for the worsening economic situation and high unemployment rate. Germany continues to be plagued by racially motivated attacks in recent years. Neo-Nazis and far-right extremists have committed more than 11,0000 acts of crimes during the first nine months of this year. The overall number of recorded far-right crimes is expected to surge further since many victims have yet to report to police. At least of 465 people were injured in far-right attacks and police arrested 246 in connection with these assaults. Only seven people were detained pending trial.
At least 137 people have reportedly been killed since Germany's reunification in 1990 as a result of neo-Nazi and other far-right violent acts. The number of fatalities due to far-right violence is three times as high as previously reported by police and the German government which has tried to downplay the threat of neo-Nazi violence, according to press reports. The German government has been under fire for not really cracking down on far-right violence which is targeting mostly foreigners and leftist activists.
Young neo-Nazis feel more and more emboldened to commit hate crimes, knowing that police won't charge them with an offense. Most of the suspects implicated in far-right crimes are juveniles. Hate crime experts and sociologists have repeatedly stressed Germany's political leadership lacked a clear, effective strategy and a real political will to combat neo-Nazi crimes.
Two Circles. net
