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Merkel condemns new bout of anti-refugee violence in Germany

Xinhua, August 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday, via her spokesman Steffen Seibert, condemned the recent violence over the weekend targeting refugees in an eastern German town.

Hundreds of far-right extremists staged violent protests at a refugee shelter in Heidenau, a small town in the eastern German state of Saxony. Dozens of police officers were reportedly injured in clashes when anti-migrant protesters threw stones, bottles, and firecrackers at them.

Seibert told reporters here that Merkel and the entire German government strongly condemned the "violent riots and the aggressive xenophobic mood" in Heidenau.

"It is appalling how right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis attempt to spread their messages of hatred around a refugee shelter," he said, adding that Germany did not tolerate "hate-filled slogans or threats coming from drunken loudmouths" targeting refugees.

German politicians have reacted with indignation to the protests against refugees. Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has announced that he would use the "full hardness of law" to combat the anti-migrant violence.

German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel visited Heidenau on Monday and vowed support for local authorities who had faced violent protests by far-right extremists during the last few days. "We must not give even a millimeter to these people," he said.

The protests in Heidenau are the latest in a series of violent attacks on refugee homes in Germany amid the current wave of refugees entering Europe. Germany is carrying a large share of the burden of caring for the influx of people.

Speaking of the challenges that Germany is facing, Seibert stressed that the country's federal and regional governments were working intensively on further actions to jointly handle the refugee issue.

"The challenge is substantial, but we will overcome it," he said.

Later on Monday, Merkel and French President Francois Hollande were scheduled to meet in Berlin. The two leaders were expected to discuss strategies to tackle the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe. Endit