A Palestinian migrant who attempted to burn down his asylum accommodation with 42 people inside, including families with children, has been handed a suspended two-year prison sentence despite the severity of the crime.
The 28-year-old admitted to starting the fire in his shared room at the asylum center in Tuttlingen back in May, claiming he had acted out of desperation after learning he was to be relocated to a different facility in Trossingen.
The incident occurred when the man piled clothing onto his bed and sofa and set them ablaze before locking his room and sitting outside in the garden, waiting for others to notice the fire.
The blaze caused an estimated €25,000 in damages, though fortunately, despite the center being home to 42 other migrants, no one was injured.
The defendant’s defense lawyer argued that he was struggling with an “adjustment disorder” and feelings of worthlessness since arriving in Germany in late 2023. The court also heard that the move from Tuttlingen, where he had hoped to secure a job, deeply affected him emotionally.
“Since he’s been in Germany, he’s had the feeling that he’s worth nothing. He is sorry and now he knows what could have happened. He promises never to do it again,” the court heard from the defense.
Despite the gravity of the crime, Judge Beate Philipp cited the defendant’s full confession, lack of prior criminal history, and low risk of reoffending as reasons for the lenient sentence.
The man will serve a probation period of four years and has been released from custody, though he must cover the legal costs of the trial.
Arson attacks at asylum reception centers across Europe have been occurring with an alarming frequency in recent months, with Remix News reporting on incidents in France, Italy, and Germany.
In April, a gang of Tunisian migrant minors were investigated by Italian police for allegedly burning down their shared accommodation in Florence after being caught smoking cannabis and having a laptop confiscated.
In France back in June, a 17-year-old knife-wielding attacker took two educators hostage at a reception center in La Tour, barricaded himself in his room, and set fire to his mattress. He stabbed one of the hostages multiple times as emergency responders attempted to force their way in to extinguish the flames.
Most recently, in Germany last month, an Algerian migrant was arrested on suspicion of burning down his asylum accommodation center in Schleiden-Vogelsang and injuring 16 people.
