BERLIN (AP) — The head of the German Police Union is calling for a ban on demonstrations within a kilometer of centers housing refugees amid a string of violent incidents.
Rainer Wendt told the Saarbruecker Zeitung newspaper Monday that “people who flee persecution have the right not to look into the faces of those throwing stones.”
Germany is seeing a rise in anti-foreigner attacks and vandalism amid a spike in asylum applications, which are expected to double this year.
On Sunday, vandals broke half a dozen windows in a hotel in the eastern city of Dresden that is being converted to start to house refugees this week.
On Friday supporters of a far-right party clashed with backers of a new camp for refugees in Dresden. Projectiles were thrown and three people were injured.