In Hesse, Germany, a protestant church is under investigation after vendors were seen selling symbols connected with the terrorist organization Hamas at a Christmas market event. Prosecutors are looking into whether the Michaelskirche parish engaged in hate incitement and the use of banned terrorist symbols during the event. The investigation was initiated after complaints were filed last Sunday.
The market featured stalls that sold keyrings that featured keyrings displaying Hamas’ red triangle emblem. This symbol has been banned in Germany since July because of its association with the terrorist group. The European Conservative reported that vendors sold festive cookies inscribed in icing with the words “Palestinian Lives Matter,” stickers bearing the slogan, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” and maps of Palestine with Israel erased.
The market was promoted as an “anti-colonial, peace-supporting Christmas market.” It included traditional offerings like mulled wine and carols as well as political sloganeering. The website for the event described the market as a “journey for diversity and solidarity with all oppressed people” and stated that proceeds would support Palestinians.
The senior prosecutor, Robert Hartmann, told the media that they “are investigating whether criminal offenses may have been committed.” While no suspects have been identified, both the Michaelskirche parish and the group Darmstadt4Palestine, which co-organized the event, are subjects of the investigation. The President of the German-Israeli Society filed a complaint with authorities. “Anti-Judaism is still a problem in the churches. It is popping up, especially at Christmas” he said.
The chairman of the Darmstadt Jewish community slammed the event. “It is a scandal that a Protestant church community either naively allows itself to be involved in this or maliciously does so,” Daniel Neumann said. The mayor, Hanno Benz, also condemned the happenings. “Antisemitism has no place in our society. Holding such an event under the umbrella of a Protestant community is intolerable.” He added, “Attempts are being made to delegitimize Israel’s right to exist and to demonize the state of Israel.”
Many local pastors expressed their shock, calling the event “deeply disturbing.” The leader of the Parish, Pastor Manfred Werner, issued a statement calling for “zero tolerance for racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia.” He apologized to the Society for Christian-Jewish Cooperation, church governing bodies all individuals involved in the Dialogue Forum, and the Jewish community.
He went on to say, “In connection with the Christmas market on the third Sunday of Advent, a pro-Palestinian solidarity group displayed symbols that exceeded the limits of tolerance. The display of these symbols was not discussed with me and, as it was inhumane, I would never have permitted it.” He went on to explain that “A journalist photographed and published these symbols. If he had pointed these symbols out to me or the organizers of the Christmas market, they would have been removed from the Christmas market immediately.”
Uwe Becker, Hesse’s antisemitism commissioner described the event as “unbelievable, completely unacceptable and scandalous” for providing a platform for Hamas propaganda. He also drew attention to the specter of Holocaust relativization in Darmstadt. He went on to say “The desire to stand up for people in need — including in Gaza — is fundamentally legitimate. However, a general anti-Israel and delegitimizing choice of words and the sale of objects with symbols that are connected to the terrorist organization Hamas and the questioning of Israel’s right to exist are unacceptable to us.”