Children in Germany Throw Rocks at Priests While Shouting 'Allahu Akbar'
An Ethiopian vicar, all decked out in a traditional priest gear with a cross around his neck, was visiting the town of Raunheim on the outskirts of Frankfurt, Germany in the company of a local priest when some pre-teens attacked them with stones.
The priest, 47, who chose not to be named, was on his way to the Russian Orthodox chapel in Frankfurter Straße, according to Express. They were surprised when three kids, aged between 10 to 12 years old, threw stones at them while shouting "Allahu Akbar," an Islamic phrase that means "there is no god but Allah."
The priests tried to take photos of the children who attacked them with their mobile phones, but the kids were quick and managed to escape without being identified.
Alexandra Rang, the Russian Orthodox hotel owner who built the chapel where the priests were headed, was in total disbelief when she first heard of the news. She said to be pelted with stones is the "worst thing a priest can imagine."
Meanwhile, Raunheim social worker Dr. Isack Majura said he is going to exert every means possible to apprehend the children who initiated the attack. "What happened is absolutely unacceptable," he stressed.
Despite the attack, the municipal staff said people belonging to various religious groups in Frankfurt remain in cordial terms, adding that what happened was just an isolated incident. To maintain friendship among people of different faith, a strong and long-standing Christian-Muslim dialogue between the local mosque and church communities has been cultivated over the years.
However, Germany welcomed over 1.1 million refugees last year after Chancellor Angela Merkel initiated an open-door migration policy. Although she has already rescinded that policy and closed up some of Germany's borders, the impact of her earlier decision is still being heavily felt.
Meanwhile, the Express found out that pupils at a girl's primary school in the German ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen are being forced to chant "Allahu Akbar."
It said a father of a pupil said his daughter had been "forced" by her teachers to memorise the Islamic chants.
Weeks earlier, parents complained that their children were not being taught "Christmas rituals" such as putting up a Christmas tree or singing carols. The school said they were doing this because majority of the schoolchildren are not Christian.
Migrants now outnumber native children in many Germany schools.