The appearance of a young Syrian man accused of anti-Semitism in an election report in Berlin sparks widespread controversy
A German newspaper deletes statements by a young man who appeared in a video threatening a Jew and giving the Nazi salute after demanding the right to vote.
Quick Look
The appearance of a young Syrian man named Jihad A. (18 years old), accused of threatening a Jew and performing the Nazi salute in front of a synagogue in Berlin, in a newspaper report demanding the right to vote in local elections, a widespread controversy that led to the newspaper deleting his statements.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
A young Syrian man was involved in anti-Semitic incidents and appeared in a media report demanding the right to vote in Berlin.
Media outlets affiliated with the right-wing conservative German group Axel Springer published reports about a young Syrian man named Jihad A. (18 years old).
The Bild newspaper report stated that the young man appeared two months ago in a widely circulated video threatening a Jew and performing a “Nazi salute” in front of a synagogue.
The incident occurred, according to a report by the newspaper Die Welt, in front of the Kahal Adas Yisrael community synagogue in the Mitte neighborhood in the German capital. The head of the community, Pavel Lyubarsky, stated at the time that he was subjected to anti-Semitic insults and threats while heading to Saturday prayers. Lyubarsky reported that a young man shouted at him, saying: “Fuck the Jews!” and "I will kill you!".
According to reports, videos and photos showed Jihad A. He performs the "Nazi salute" after being arrested by the police. The German authorities opened an investigation into the incident.
German law considers performing the Hitler salute a punishable crime.
A new appearance on the sidelines of the Berlin elections
The "Bild" newspaper report, which was published on Wednesday (September 23, 2026), added that Jihad A. reappeared in a report by the "Tagesspiegel" newspaper demanding the right to vote in Germany. The report came against the backdrop of local elections in the state of Berlin, which took place on September 20. The report focused on new voters, especially young people who do not hold German passports.
The Left Party (far left), led by Elif Eralp, topped the Berlin state elections with a clear margin over its closest competitor, which is the branch of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's Christian Democratic Party (centre-right). The Left Party is now seeking to form a coalition with the Green Party and the Social Democratic Party (centre-left).
In the words of Jihad A., who arrived in Germany 12 years ago and lives in the Moabit neighborhood in the heart of Berlin, he saw his lack of the right to vote as an “injustice.” He added: “Foreigners live and work here,” adding that all parties do not offer anything to young people, as he put it.
About 56,000 foreigners between the ages of 16 and 21 live in Berlin who are not entitled to vote.
The newspaper "Tagesspiegel" later deleted the part of Jihad A.'s words. From her report, she justified that she “was not aware” of the matter, and that she “did not want to give him a political platform.”
Open Questions
- What legal measures will be taken against Jihad A.?
- How was the young man chosen to appear in the newspaper report?
