German police have arrested a 32-year-old man suspected of attempting to set fire to a synagogue in the city of Giessen, in what authorities believe may have been an antisemitic attack, according to local media reports.

The incident occurred outside the Beith-Jaakov Synagogue, where security camera footage reportedly shows a man wearing a black backpack raising his arm in what appeared to be a Nazi salute before igniting a stack of cardboard boxes placed against the building. The suspect then walked away from the scene, German media reported.

The fire damaged the entrance to the synagogue but did not spread further. No injuries were reported.

Police said the suspect was taken into custody on Wednesday and appeared to have acted alone. Authorities said the motive remains under investigation, though antisemitism is being examined as a possible factor.

Jewish leaders said the incident reflects a broader pattern of attacks on Jewish institutions across Europe and beyond. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, chairman of the European Jewish Association, said the attempted arson fits a troubling trend.

“There is no doubt that this was an antisemitic attack, following the same pattern of synagogue attacks we have seen over the past two years,” Margolin wrote on social media. He said that 21 synagogues have been set on fire during that period and that many others have been targeted.

Margolin called on political leaders and authorities to strengthen security measures to ensure the safety of Jewish institutions.

German police said the investigation is ongoing and that further details will be released as they become available.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)