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Damaged window at the synagogue of the Jewish community in Hanover
Photo: Julian Stratenschulte / dpa
After the window of a synagogue in Hanover was damaged on the Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, the police investigation is ongoing.
The officials said there were no new findings.
Numerous politicians, associations and church communities were appalled and condemned the act.
»The many expressions of solidarity give us courage«
"I condemn [the stone-throwing] in the strongest possible terms," said the President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster.
The Jewish community in Germany was shocked.
"We are encouraged by the many expressions of solidarity from civil society and state institutions." Israel's Ambassador to Germany, Ron Prosor, tweeted that whoever throws a stone "does not hesitate to fire a bullet either."
"This attack on the synagogue in Hanover on the highest Jewish holiday, Yom Kippur, is appalling and shocking," said Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD).
Deputy CDU federal chairwoman Karin Prien warned: "Jews in Germany shouldn't have to fear visiting a synagogue on public holidays every year."
It is unbearable and unacceptable "that our Jewish sisters and brothers are being threatened in practicing their faith in their holy place," said the regional dean of the Catholic Church in the Hanover region, Christian Wirz.
Evangelical and Muslim representatives made similar statements.
At noon, numerous politicians came to the synagogue to get an idea of the situation, including Hanover's mayor Belit Onay (Greens), Lower Saxony's integration commissioner Doris Schröder-Köpf and SPD chairman Lars Klingbeil.
Police are investigating “at high pressure in all directions”
According to previous investigative findings, the pane of the church in Hanover was damaged on Wednesday evening.
Around 150 people were praying in the building at the time.
Nobody got hurt.
State security is investigating.
So far, no information on possible perpetrators, a motive or the course of the crime is known.
The object with which the pane was destroyed has also not yet been discovered.
"We are investigating at full speed in all directions," said a police spokeswoman.
"We were all concentrating on prayer, and around 7 p.m. we heard a bang," reported Arkadij Litvan, a member of the executive board of the Jewish community in Hanover.
After the police were alerted, the believers continued their prayers.
Three years ago, during the same holiday, there was an attack on a synagogue in Halle (Saale), resulting in two fatalities in the city.
Yom Kippur falls on different dates in September or October from year to year.
swe/dpa