January 24, 2013

BERLIN (JTA) — State prosecutors have determined that a verbal attack against a German Jewish leader was not a case of anti-Semitism.

Stephan Kramer, general secretary of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, disagrees and said on his Facebook profile that he would ask his attorney to inspect the files on the case, to see if an appeal is possible.

Kramer brought charges last fall in connection with the Sept. 27, 2012 incident, in which he alleged that a man verbally abused him as he was walking to synagogue with his two daughters. According to reports, Kramer, who was carrying a prayer book, said the man told him several times to “get out of here,” in a threatening manner. Kramer told the French news agency AFP at the time that he revealed a gun he had in its holster, in order to get the man to back off.

The state prosecutor determined that the incident was not of an anti-Semitic nature, according to news reports. Martin Steltner, a spokesperson for the state attorneys, told reporters that the investigation has been called off.
 
The man involved in the altercation also filed charges against Kramer; here, too, the states prosecutors found no grounds for the charge and dropped their investigation last fall.

Kramer told reporters on Wednesday that he could not understand the latest decision. He said that the incident also had been perceived as threatening by passersby, who called the police on his behalf.

The incident occurred weeks after a rabbi in Berlin, Daniel Alter, suffered injuries in a brutal anti-Semitic attack.
 

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