Penzberg prayer signs damaged for third time

Signs pointing to Muslim Friday prayers in the Upper Bavarian town of Penzberg have been damaged for the third time. Imam Benjamin Idriz is calling for decisive action, BR reported.

The signs have been displayed around Penzberg for about four weeks. Most recently, they were sprayed with paint during the night before Friday, according to Weilheim criminal police.

A previous incident on July 31 also left a sign painted over until it was unrecognisable. The symbol of Der III. Weg, a small party classified as extremist and neo-Nazi by Germany’s Federal Agency for Civic Education, was also visible.

The Islamic congregation condemned the repeated damage and called for the investigation to continue consistently. It also urged authorities to take appropriate measures and hold those responsible for the criminal acts accountable, Idriz said.

Idriz said he did not believe anyone from Penzberg had damaged the signs. He appealed to the “hateful and criminally acting” perpetrators to leave Penzberg’s community alone. The town stood for peaceful and respectful coexistence, he said, adding that residents would not allow such acts to undermine it.

Weilheim criminal police are asking witnesses to come forward. Anyone who saw suspicious people or vehicles between Thursday evening, August 20, and Friday morning, August 21, on Untermaxkorn, Bichler Straße or Sindelsdorfer Straße in Penzberg should call 0881 6400. Police are also seeking information about the earlier incidents.

The signs listing the service times of Penzberg’s Catholic, Protestant and Islamic congregations were installed at the town entrances on July 22. The town said the joint project was intended to promote ecumenical cooperation, mutual respect and interfaith dialogue.