A Jewish student ended up in the hospital after he was beaten by a fellow student over a dispute about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Mitte borough of Berlin on Friday night, Berlin Police said on Saturday.
The Jewish student was walking with an acquaintance when they met a fellow student and a dispute developed between the two, as the Jewish student is pro-Israel and the other student is pro-Palestinian.
During the argument, the other student suddenly hit the Jewish student several times in the face, causing him to fall. He then kicked the Jewish student who was lying on the ground and fled the scene.
The Jewish student was evacuated to the hospital while suffering from fractures on his face.
The student suspected of beating up the Jewish student was located by police at his home in Schöneberg. During a court-ordered search of his home, emergency services confiscated evidence, including the student's smartphone.
The investigation is ongoing and has been taken over by a commissioner from the state security police of the State Criminal Police Office.
Jewish Student Union VP expresses outrage at wave of antisemitism
Noam Petri, vice president of the Jewish Student Union of Germany, expressed outrage at the attack in a post on X, writing that the students were both from the Freie Universität Berlin.
"Enough, @FU_Berlin!" wrote Petri. "To this day, antisemitic groups spread their hatred. To date, no restraining order has been issued. We continue to fight ✡️".