A member of the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has slammed church leaders over the recent report of Christians being attacked in German asylum homes.
AfD board member Paul Hampel slammed Christian churches in Germany following a report by Christian charity Open Doors, which uncovered that since May there were over 700 cases of violence and threats toward Christians in German asylum homes.
In a press release on Tuesday, Mr. Hampel blamed churches for what he said was a total inaction to deal with persecution within homes and instead focusing on what he called “Islamic education in Germany”. The AfD member singled out Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, a leader within the protestant Lutheran church in Germany, and Catholic Cardinal Reinhard Marx.
Cardinal Marx has been critical of anti-mass migration campaigners following the migrant crisis last year when over one million of people from the Middle East and North Africa traveled to Europe. He labeled the Christian Social Union’s proposed tougher policies on border control and illegal economic migrants as “scary”, and warned that the growing popularity of the AfD was leading to a rise in nationalism across Germany.
Speaking out against the statement made by many church leaders that “Islam belongs to Germany”, Mr. Hampel said: “No, these Muslims simply do not belong to Germany. Violent asylum seekers should be immediately deported.”
“It is absurd that Bedford-Strohm evidently wants more Muslims employed in the public debate, but is silent on the violence against Christians. No wonder his faithful droves turn their backs and leave the Church,” he said.
Mr. Hampel went on to add that if the church leaders regarded themselves as protectors of the church and of Western values then they would be “ringing the church bells in alarm” over the new report, rather than remaining silent on the matter.
The Open Doors study referenced by Mr. Hampel showed that the perpetrators of violence, threats, and sexual abuse against Christians in German asylum homes were predominantly Muslim migrants. Some Christians even reported that the Muslim guards at the asylum homes had attacked them.
Such reports had led to suggestions that Christians and other minorities should be placed in separate asylum accommodations for their safety.