Wheelchair-Using Berlin Shopkeeper Attacked Over Anti-Hamas Posters
A wheelchair-using Berlin shopkeeper was violently attacked by youths after hanging posters condemning the October 7 Hamas massacre in his Kreuzberg store.
A wheelchair-using Berlin shopkeeper was violently attacked by anti-Semitic youths after displaying posters condemning the October 7 massacre. The victim, 67-year-old Hans-Georg Lindenau, runs the M99 general store in the Kreuzberg district.
Escalating Attacks in Kreuzberg
Lindenau, known for operating in Berlin's leftist scene, put up posters near the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre perpetrated by Hamas. Days later, a group of minors entered his shop, threatening and assaulting him using pepper spray, physical blows, and a replica firearm.
The assaults occurred repeatedly over several days. On the third occasion, the youths targeted him specifically over the posters. "They called me a son of a bitch and wanted to know if I am Jewish," Lindenau told the German news outlet Bild. The physical beatings left him with a bleeding head injury and a hurt left hand.
"Clearly I am afraid. In my shop, I do not discriminate based on origin, religion, or skin color, and I expect the same respect," Lindenau stated.
Police Investigation and Local Support
Beyond the physical assaults, eyewitnesses reported eight youths on electric scooters kicking the shop's front door until it broke. Lindenau filed a police report, and the Berlin state security unit launched a criminal investigation into aggravated assault, insults, and property damage.
Despite the terror, Lindenau received substantial support from local neighborhood residents, emphasizing that his establishment maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against anti-Semitism.