Arson Attack Targets Germany Antisemitism Commissioner

Investigators in Germany are reviewing a suspected arson attack on Sunday targeting a property belonging to Andreas Büttner, the commissioner for combating antisemitism in the state of Brandenburg. The incident occurred in Templin, a town about 43 miles north of Berlin, where assailants set fire to a shed on Büttner’s property while his family was inside the home. No injuries were reported while emergency services extinguished the fire.

Brandenburg police said the case is being handled by the state security unit which investigates politically motivated crimes.. Police also reported the discovery of an unconstitutional symbol near the property. Multiple reports identified the marking as an inverted red triangle linked to the Islamist terrorist group Hamas.

“The symbol speaks a clear language. The red Hamas triangle is an internationally known sign of jihadist violence and antisemitic incitement,” Büttner said. “Anyone who uses such a thing wants to intimidate and glorify terror. This is not a protest, it is a threat.”

The inverted red triangle has a complex history. The red triangle was originally used by the Nazis to designate political prisoners as part of a classification system in which prisoners were marked with different colored triangles depending on their “crime.” Or Shaked, deputy director of the Jewish Virtual Library, explains that the red triangle was used by the Nazis to label political prisoners, including socialists and communists. After World War II, survivors of Nazi persecution and their families later reclaimed the symbol as a sign of resistance to fascism.

Shaked also explained that following Oct. 7, the symbol began appearing in Hamas-produced propaganda, marking Israeli military targets. Its use then spread to anti-Israel protests, particularly on college campuses and social media, where demonstrators use it to show solidarity with Palestinians.

The symbol prompted strong condemnation from Israeli Ambassador to Germany Ron Prosor. “My thoughts are with Andreas Büttner and his family,” Prosor wrote on X. “Knowing him as I do, after this attack he will only stand up even more resolutely against antisemitism. For the radical part of the ‘Palestine solidarity’ movement is not only antisemitic, but terrorist.” Prosor later addressed the meaning of the symbol itself, writing, “Attacks on those who think differently and attempted murder: That is what the Hamas triangle stands for in Gaza as in Brandenburg. And the hatred of Israel goes hand in hand with hatred of our democracy. The rule of law must smash these terrorist organizations, and indeed, before they strike again.”

According to Büttner, Sunday’s incident was the second attack against him in the past 16 months. His car was previously vandalized with swastikas. He described the latest incident as a serious escalation and said he would not be deterred.

“This attack represents a massive escalation,” Büttner wrote. “It is directed against me personally, against my family, and against my home. At the same time, it is an expression of hatred and intimidation. I will not be intimidated by this.” He added, “I will not be intimidated by this. Anyone who believes that they can achieve something through violence, arson, or threats is mistaken. Such acts do not lead to me becoming quieter or questioning my commitment, they strengthen me in what I do. I ask that you give us the necessary peace today and refrain from further inquiries at the present time.”

Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke condemned the violence, saying that “violence against people or things is and remains absolutely unacceptable. The police have started the investigation, and I hope that the perpetrator or perpetrators will be caught quickly.”

Jochen Feilcke, chairman of the German-Israeli Society Berlin and Brandenburg, described the attack as where Hamas’s terrorism was applied on a small scale, including the Hamas triangle, in order to ultimately intimidate people who oppose rising antisemitism in Berlin and Brandenburg. “Especially the parties of the left camp have every reason to deal with it, because they tolerate this mood or still fuel it,” Feilcke told Tagesspiegel. “They are so jointly responsible for when debates turn into violence.””