Germany's CLAIM alliance against Islamophobia recorded 1,926 anti-Muslim incidents during the course of last year, or more than five such incidents per day, according to a report presented by the alliance in Berlin on Monday.
The alliance, which is supported by the German Family Affairs Ministry, said the figure was more than double the previous year's, although it added that the way the data had been collected had changed, as there were more reporting points last year.
There had been a sharp rise since the October 7 attacks mounted on Israel from the Gaza Strip, the report said.
The report includes verbal and physical attacks, discrimination and damage to property, but not Islamophobic internet content. CLAIM believes that the incidents are seriously underreported.
"The breeding ground for racism has become much larger," CLAIM head Rima Hanano said. Islamophobia had become more socially acceptable than ever before and could be seen in the centre of German society, she said.
Around two thirds of the reported cases in 2023 concerned verbal attacks, including hate speech and insults, and threatening letters to restaurants whose owners are perceived as Muslim. A total of 90 attacks on places of this kind and religious facilities were recorded.
Apart from 1,277 verbal attacks, the report listed 363 cases of discrimination and 286 cases of "injurious behaviour," including 178 of physical injury, four attempted homicides, 93 cases of damage to property, five cases of arson and six other violent acts.
Many cases concerned Muslim women and were seen in all areas of life, from house hunting to visits to the doctor to attending school. Children were often the target.
Family Minister Lisa Paus said that preventive work from a young age, in particular with children and youth, was essential to reduce racism.
Jochen Kopelke, head of the GdP police union, said unreported incidents needed to be brought to light. He called for online complaints to be expanded.
"The Muslim community must and can place greater confidence in prosecutors and the police," he said. The reported cases were being taken seriously by the authorities, Kopelke said.