BERLIN: Dozens of young Germans attacked a group of Indian visitors to a village in the eastern state of Saxony over the weekend, chasing them through the streets and smashing up the restaurant where the Indians had taken refuge, the local police confirmed Monday.
The incident, which took place Saturday in Mügeln, about 45 kilometers, or 28 miles, east of Leipzig, was witnessed by a large crowd, which apparently did not take any action to stop the attack against the eight Indians. The Saxony police did not release news of the attack until late Sunday. "We are not ruling out a xenophobic motive," said the police chief of Saxony, Bernd Merbitz.
Saxony has a small but growing far-right movement that supports the National Democratic Party. The party has been represented in the regional legislature since the 2005 elections. Brandenburg, another eastern state, also has a far-right movement that is represented in the regional legislature.
According to the police in Saxony, more than 70 police officers were needed to stop the violence. In addition to the Indians, four Germans, including two police officers, were injured. Other details about the Indians were not immediately available. The authorities have called for an investigation. As yet, there have been no arrests.
