“Berlin wears a yarmulke,” the popular BZ local newspaper declared to its readers on Saturday. The reason: the front page presented a photo of five Berlin celebrities posing with skullcaps – including Mayor Klaus Wowereit, one of the best known gay politicians in Europe.

The city’s residents decided to show their solidarity with the city’s Jewish community following Tuesday’s attack on Rabbi Daniel Alter. The assailants, locals of Arab origin, asked Alter – who was wearing a yarmulke – if he was Jewish, and then proceeded to attack him. On Thursday a rabbi was attacked in Vienna by soccer fans who abused him with anti-Semitic and Nazi slogans. A spontaneous rally was held in the city on Saturday.

Reinhard Naumann, head of the Charlottenburg– Wilmersdorf Berlin district, called for immediate action in response to the events. Naumann called on the Berlin newspaper to take action: “Berliners can show solidarity with Daniel Alter and the Jewish community by wearing skullcaps,” Naumann told BZ.

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