After the alleged fire at a refugee accommodation in Groß Strömkendorf near Wismar, numerous politicians and representatives of society have expressed their horror. They demand thorough investigation.
Groß Strömkendorf/Schwerin (dpa/mv) - Politicians, church representatives and trade unionists reacted with shock to the alleged arson at a refugee accommodation in Groß Strömkendorf near Wismar. At the time of the fire on Wednesday evening, 14 Ukrainian refugees and three carers were in the former hotel. Nobody got hurt.
MV Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig (SPD):
"I'm glad that no one was physically injured. Many thanks to all the emergency services who helped on site. One thing must be clear to everyone: people fleeing war need our protection and our support. Tolerate hate speech and violence we are not!"
The CDU state chairman Franz-Robert Liskow:
"The cause of the fire must be determined as soon as possible. If the fears that it was a cowardly arson attack on people seeking protection prove true, the corresponding facilities must be better protected."
The Sprengel Bishop in Mecklenburg and Pomerania of the Evangelical North Church, Tilman Jeremias:
"We are in prayer with the people from Ukraine and hope that they will receive the help they need quickly and unbureaucratically."
The state leader of the Left Party, Vanessa Müller:
"It is not yet clear exactly how the fire started. We are demanding quick and thorough investigations in all directions. ... If the fire is connected to the right-wing extremist graffiti of the last few days, this would be a sad low point in dealing with people who seek protection from war."
The refugee bishop of the Catholic German Bishops' Conference, Stefan Hesse:
"The damage after the fire in Groß Strömkendorf is great. People from Ukraine who have come to us for protection from war and fear are disappointed and frightened again. I am happy and grateful that nobody was injured. But if the assumption If xenophobia caused arson to be confirmed, that would be appalling, because such a heinous act always harms the people of the entire region."
The representative for refugee issues in the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Christian Stäblein:
"People from Ukraine have escaped the horrors of war. They are looking to us for protection and security. We have to take responsibility for that. Anyone who attacks refugees attacks us all."
Ingo Schlueter, Deputy Chairman of the DGB North:
"This is a cowardly, disgusting and inhuman act. ... The arsonists should be arrested quickly and prosecuted. The intellectual arsonists must also be held accountable."
The SPD parliamentary group leader in the Schwerin state parliament, Julian Barlen:
"The suspicion of arson at the accommodation is expressed by the police and district administrator alike and must be clarified at high pressure. The swastika finds on site in the last few days in the 30th year of Lichtenhagen and Mölln bring back memories of very dark times."
Claudia Müller, Alliance Green member of the Bundestag from MV:
"It cannot be surpassed in terms of cowardice and baseness to set fire to the homes of people who had to flee their homes from a brutal war of aggression."
The Federal Anti-Racism Commissioner, Reem Alabali-Radovan (SPD):
"It shocks me and makes me incredibly angry at the same time: people are fleeing from the Russian bombs and rockets. They come to Germany in search of protection and security. And here they experience their accommodation being set on fire and smeared with swastikas. It's reminiscent of the racist attacks in the 90s on Rostock-Lichtenhagen, Solingen and Mölln."
The FDP parliamentary group leader in the state parliament, René Domke:
"We look with horror to Groß Strömkendorf, where the fears that have been looming for weeks seem to have turned into a sad reality. Shelters are burning again in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania."
The leader of the AfD parliamentary group in the state parliament, Nikolaus Kramer:
"Since arson is currently assumed, the rule of law must now exhaust all available means to locate and arrest the perpetrators. Arson attacks on people are disgusting and elude any political discourse. Here the rule of law must react with all the harshness of the rule of law."
