Afghan national arrested for arson attack on Wuppertal synagogue before Yom Kippur
On September 17, 2026, a 37-year-old Afghan national attempted to set fire to the Bergische Synagogue in Wuppertal, Germany, by igniting flammable liquid on the steps. The fire was quickly extinguished by community members, causing minor damage and no injuries. The suspect was arrested immediately. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, condemned the attack as evidence of normalized hatred, noting its timing just before Yom Kippur.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page reads the event directly, while its address stays stable when the title changes.
- Summary covers the current reports
Cross-source coverage
Reporting timeline
Wuppertal police suspect lone perpetrator in synagogue arson attack, Afghan man arrested
On September 18, 2026, Wuppertal police stated they assume a single perpetrator was responsible for the arson attack on the synagogue in the Barmen district. A 37-year-old man with Afghan citizenship is the suspect, who has been in Germany since at least 2014 and has a police contact from that year. The attack occurred at 2:02 PM on Thursday, three days before Yom Kippur, when the suspect allegedly spread and ignited a flammable liquid on the synagogue steps. Staff extinguished the flames due to the stone construction. The suspect was arrested immediately after the act, as the synagogue is under 24/7 police guard. Vigils against antisemitism are being held in Wuppertal, with solidarity expressed by churches, the Muslim Ditib community, and politicians from SPD, CDU, and Greens. Josef Schuster, chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep disturbance at the perpetrator's composure and the normalization of Jew-hatred, noting the timing before Yom Kippur and recalling previous attacks in Sydney, Manchester, and Halle. A similar arson attack occurred on the same synagogue in 2014 by three Palestinian-origin men who received probation.
Read sourceArson attack on synagogue in Wuppertal; Central Council president warns of normalizing hatred
An arson attack was carried out on the Bergische Synagogue in Wuppertal-Barmen, Germany, on September 17, 2026. Police have launched investigations and arrested a suspect, with only minor property damage reported. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep distress, noting the perpetrator's calmness and lack of shame during the broad daylight attack. He stated this reflects the ongoing normalization of hatred towards Jews. Schuster highlighted that Yom Kippur, the highest Jewish holiday, is in three days, and demanded security authorities ensure the safety of religious services. He compared the timing to previous antisemitic attacks on holidays, including the Chanukah attacks in Sydney (2025), the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester (2025), the Halle attack (2019), and a previous arson on the same synagogue in 2014. The article also includes a call for solidarity and support for civil society initiatives.
Read sourceMan Commits Arson Attack on Synagogue in Wuppertal Just Before Highest Jewish Holiday
On September 17, 2026, a man set a fire at a side entrance of the new synagogue in Wuppertal, Germany, in the early afternoon. The fire was quickly extinguished by members of the synagogue community before it could cause major damage. The suspect was arrested shortly after the incident. The attack occurred just before the highest Jewish holiday, prompting outrage from the Central Council of Jews in Germany. The article, published by Die Welt, reports the event as a targeted arson attack on a Jewish place of worship, highlighting the timing as particularly provocative given the approaching holiday. No injuries were reported, and authorities are investigating the motive behind the attack.
Read sourceShow 2 older updatesHide older updates
Afghan national arrested after attempted arson attack on Wuppertal synagogue before Yom Kippur
On September 17, 2026, an Afghan national, aged 37 and known to police, was arrested after attempting an arson attack on the Bergische Synagogue in Wuppertal, Germany. The suspect allegedly spilled and ignited a flammable liquid on the synagogue steps at 2 p.m. in the Barmen district. The fire was quickly extinguished by community members, causing only minor property damage and no injuries. State security authorities have taken over the investigation, and initial findings suggest the suspect acted alone. The attack occurred shortly before Yom Kippur, the holiest Jewish holiday. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep disturbance, noting the perpetrator's calmness and lack of shame, which he said testifies to the ongoing normalization of hatred against Jews. He stated that the timing was not random, as antisemitic violence often targets holidays to spread fear. Schuster called on security authorities to ensure the safety of religious services, affirming that the Jewish community will not be prevented from practicing its religion. He drew parallels to previous attacks on synagogues in Sydney, Manchester, and Halle.
Read sourceArson attack on Wuppertal synagogue just before Yom Kippur; Jewish leader warns of normalized hatred
An arson attack was carried out on Thursday afternoon against the synagogue of the Jewish Religious Community in Wuppertal, Germany. According to police, someone attempted to set a fire at a side entrance; the blaze was quickly extinguished, causing only minor property damage and no injuries. A suspect has been arrested, and the criminal investigation department is handling the case. The attack occurred just before Yom Kippur, the highest Jewish holiday, which begins on the evening of September 20. Josef Schuster, President of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, expressed deep concern, stating that the timing was not chosen by chance. He noted the perpetrator's calmness in broad daylight as evidence of the ongoing normalization of hatred towards Jews. Schuster emphasized that antisemitic violence often targets holidays to spread fear and push Jewish life out of the public sphere. He called on security authorities to ensure the safety of Yom Kippur services, affirming that the community will not be prevented from practicing its religion. The attack recalls previous incidents, including the 2014 arson on the same synagogue, the Chanukah attacks in Sydney in 2025, the Yom Kippur attack in Manchester in 2025, and the 2019 attack in Halle.