Expressing disgust at the "hateful" killing of Jews in Pittsburgh
Following the massacre at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, the German Chancellor has called for a global fight against anti-Semitism. The UN Secretary-General has also strongly condemned the incident. Donald Trump has said that the perpetrator of the massacre should be given the death penalty.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has condemned the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre and called for a joint global response to anti-Semitism. “I mourn the victims of the open, blind anti-Semitic hatred in Pittsburgh,” German government spokesman Steffen Seibert quoted the chancellor as saying on Twitter. “We must all take anti-Semitism seriously – everywhere.”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also expressed his condolences to the families of the Pittsburgh victims and emphasized that anti-Semitism should have no place in the 21st century.
The World Jewish Congress also strongly condemned the Pittsburgh synagogue massacre. Ronald Lauder, the congress's president, called the incident a "hateful act of terrorism" and said: "This was not just an attack on the Jewish community, but an attack on all of America."
US President Donald Trump has also described the Pittsburgh massacre as an “attack on humanity” and said the “deadly poison of anti-Semitism” must be eliminated. He called for the death penalty for the perpetrator of the massacre, saying: “Anyone who does this to innocent people in a synagogue or a church should pay the ultimate price.”
In his speech, the US President considered the use of armed guards and bodyguards in religious ceremonies effective, adding: "If an armed guard had been inside the synagogue, they could have stopped him [the attacker]."
The shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh on Saturday left 11 people dead and six injured. The gunman, 46-year-old Robert Bowers, is currently in custody and facing 29 felony charges. Initial investigations indicate he had a valid gun license.
The person's social media posts show that he has anti-Semitic and racist views and is an opponent of Trump and his policies. According to reports, Bowers shouted: "All Jews should be killed" upon entering the synagogue.
The Pittsburgh massacre has been classified as a hate crime by US judicial institutions.
Source: DW
