BERLIN: In a pre-dawn incident on Friday, a man set on fire the display cards, posters, and flags at a pro-Palestinian protest camp near Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich city of Germany.
The fire caused damage estimated at several hundred euros but resulted in no injuries, according to local police.
The suspect allegedly poured gasoline over several displays, posters, and flags before igniting them. While flash fires erupted, they did not spread to the tents and pavilions at the camp.
Police apprehended a suspect shortly after the incident, but he was subsequently released. The protest camp, established in May to condemn Israel’s bombardment of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, has been a focal point for demonstrations since the onset of Israel’s conflict in Gaza on October 7.
A video of the attack, which has circulated on social media, shows a man spreading a flammable liquid and then lighting it. The flames quickly spread to the surrounding area.
The Attorney General’s Office has initiated an investigation into the attack, with initial reports suggesting that the 26-year-old suspect may have had a “Muslim-phobic motivation.” The suspect faces charges of property damage.
