A man set fire overnight to the entrance of a synagogue in the German city of Giessen, north of Frankfurt, causing damage to the building before giving a Nazi salute, according to German media and police.
German authorities said a 32-year-old man was arrested following the incident. Police said the motive was still under investigation, but added that all indications point to another antisemitic attack.
Security camera footage from the scene shows the suspect arriving at the synagogue, pouring a flammable substance at the entrance and setting it alight. After igniting the fire, he was seen raising his arm in a Nazi salute.
The fire caused damage to the entrance of the building but did not spread further. No injuries were reported.
Laurens de Dunges, vice president of the local Jewish community, sharply criticized German authorities following the attack.
“There was an attack on our synagogue in Giessen,” he said. “We ask for support from the Interior Ministry. What do we get besides hot air? Nothing. Even though we stand against antisemitism, racism and homophobia, we receive warm words but no action. It feels like we have returned to 1933.”
German officials have repeatedly warned of a rise in antisemitic incidents across the country, particularly targeting Jewish institutions, as tensions have grown in recent months.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges may be filed as authorities work to determine whether the attack was part of a broader extremist pattern.