Berlin – Chairman of the German-Arab Council Hudhaifa Al-Mashhadani (44) was reportedly threatened with death several times and pushed by unknown people at the Neukölln Rathaus train station on Friday morning. State security is investigating. The ruler of Berlin, Wegner, condemned the act.
According to the victim, the attack occurred on Friday at 11:13 on the platform of the Rathaus Neukölln subway station. Prof Dr Al-Mashhadani was deliberately and forcefully pushed from behind by an unknown person – just as the subway train was about to enter the station. Only a quick reaction could have prevented a potentially life-threatening fall, the attacker reported.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner, project manager Stefanie Dietrich and school director Hudhaifa Al-Mashhadani during a visit in September 2025
A killing move is displayed
Immediately after that, the perpetrator is said to have shown clear threatening gestures, including a killing gesture and a “We’re watching you” gesture, then ran away.
When asked by BILD, a Berlin police spokesperson confirmed the complaint and the victim’s statement. “State security agencies have taken over the investigation. Video footage was recovered from the platform.” Train line 7 was not moving when the attack occurred. The investigation into the specific circumstances of the alleged attack is still ongoing.
Based on BILD information, the victim’s statement still cannot be understood clearly.
Possible background to the dastardly attack: Hudhaifa Al-Mashhadani is the dean of the German-Arabic language school “Ibn Khaldun” on Karl-Marx-Strasse in Neukölln. The school is under police protection – because it has been targeted by radical Israel-haters.
In addition to Arabic, the curriculum also includes lessons on Jewish history, the Holocaust and democracy education. There were visits to synagogues, a project against radicalization was founded and exchanges with Israeli students were organized. All this is clearly not sitting well with the extremists in the neighborhood!
Police in front of the school (archive photo)
According to Al-Mashhadani, the perpetrator wore a red Palestinian keffiyeh around his neck. Based on unconfirmed information from the victim’s supporters, the man was identified on Saturday.
The German-Arab Ibn Khaldun School in Berlin, the German-Arab Council and several Arab, Kurdish and Jewish associations condemned the incident in a joint press release.
View of a classroom at Ibnu Khaldun School
Berlin must not become a playground for extremist influences – neither for left-wing radical ideologies, nor for political-Islamist structures, nor other forms of fanatical movements, according to the statement.
The victim asked the witness to come forward
“We call on all citizens – especially those who were in the area around the Neukölln Rathaus train station at the time of the crime – to forward any tips, observations or recordings that may help clarify this matter to the police,” said a post on Al-Mashhadani’s Facebook page.
Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner (53, CDU) was also shocked by the attack: “Berlin belongs to those who build bridges – not to those who spread hatred. My solidarity goes to Prof. Dr. Al-Mashhadani. Berlin stand firmly by his side.”
