The blaze followed protests against asylum seekers by far-right demonstrators in the area.
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The party, a member of Germany’s ruling coalition, said the threatening emails began pouring in since its chairman Sigmar Gabriel visited the eastern town of Heidenau on Monday, where violent protests have erupted over the arrival of about 250 refugees, reports Reuters. In 2010, she said multiculturalism in Germany had “utterly failed” and that migrants looking to settle in Germany had to do a better job integrating themselves into German communities.
Returning asylum seekers to the country where they first entered the EU is particularly cumbersome for Germany, where asylum seekers have the right to challenge that decision.
With refugee shelters in the country being attacked nearly daily and politicians warning of a rise in xenophobia, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet agreed a draft law to bring forward the transfer of 500 million euros ($575 million) originally intended for 2016.
The Berlin headquarters of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) had to be evacuated on Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat.
“Building fences, using tear gas and other forms of violence against migrants and asylum-seekers, detention, withholding access to basics such as shelter, food or water and using threatening language or hateful speech will not stop migrants from coming, or trying to come, to Europe”.
“Italy is doing what it has to do… and even much more by saving thousands of lives and by taking in refugees”, Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said in an interview with Wednesday’s Corriere della Sera, describing his country as a “a positive model on the worldwide stage”.
He blamed authorities in the state of Saxony, where Heidenau is located, for allowing the situation to get out of control over the weekend by deploying far too few police.
Merkel did not respond directly until Monday evening, almost three days after the attacks, drawing criticism from some SPD and opposition lawmakers.
Police say overnight fire at a converted sports hall meant to house refugees in Nauen was likely the result of arson. No one was hurt.
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“The Chancellor will hold a dialogue with refugees, volunteers and security staff in Heidenau”, her office added. The British government, for example, puts a lot of store (at least when it comes to the rhetoric) on the Dublin Procedures, but Germany and others have long acknowledged that it does not work.
