Berlin
BerlinFlash 90

A young Israeli living in Germany was attacked by a group of seven men singing anti-Semitic songs on a Berlin subway car. 

That assault, which occurred on New Year's Eve, was only made public by German press over the weekend. 

According to the Sunday report in newspaper Tagesspiegel, Shahak Shapira, 26, was riding on a Berlin subway car in the early hours of January 1 when seven young men of Arab descent began to sing songs containing anti-Semitic content. 

The men also reportedly said “expletive Israel” and “expletive Juden” while on the train. 

Shapira turned to the men and asked them to stop chanting anti-Jewish songs, as he found them offensive. 

When the men did not stop singing, and after one spat at Shapira, the Israeli began to record a video of them on his mobile phone. 

Shapira got off the train at the next station but noticed he was being followed by the men, who Shapira noted were speaking in both German and Arabic. They demanded that he delete the video of them singing from his mobile device. 

Upon refusing their demand, the young men began to attack Shapira - beating him, kicking him, and spitting on him. Shapira suffered bruises and a head laceration. 

The assailants fled the scene when Berlin transit authority's security staff approached.

German police have stated they are investigating the incident. Spokesman Martin Dahms said Monday that police are still looking for the attackers, but noted that the cell phone videos Shapira took prior to the beating should be helpful in finding his assailants. 

"German police launched an investigation into this issue and are treating it very seriously," Dahms said. "Police forces in the city are looking for the perpetrators, who, when caught, will be brought to justice." 

Police also denied reports that the attackers were right-wing extremists. 

Violent anti-Semitic attacks in Berlin have been on the rise in recent months. In July, a Jewish man wearing a hat emblazoned with a Star of David was beaten. And in November, an Israeli tourist was punched and kicked by four attackers in the Charlottenburg district.