"I am personally still deeply shocked and moved by the inhumane terrorist attack by Hamas against innocent and defenceless civilians in Israel. People were murdered indiscriminately or abducted to Gaza as shields. The terrorists did not even stop at children, women and the elderly. The disgusting brutality with which the terrorists carried out their attack on Israel makes me and our urban society shudder. We in Salzgitter condemn this barbaric act of terrorism in the strongest possible terms, are deeply saddened by the human suffering and our thoughts are with the victims and their families, who are stunned as they mourn the loss of their loved ones. Salzgitter, like many other municipalities in Lower Saxony and many state authorities in Lower Saxony, has raised the Israeli national flag as a sign of humanity and solidarity with the victims of this hateful, cruel and heinous terrorist attack in Israel. Every Salzgitter resident who is convinced of the basic principles of democracy, humanity and charity shares in the terrible fate of the people in Israel these days. And that is precisely why I am deeply saddened by the attack on our human expression of solidarity, the Israeli national flag hoisted in front of our town hall. I strongly condemn this incident and consider it a disgrace that the victims of terror and the suffering of their families are being trampled underfoot by tearing down and burning the Israeli national flag in front of our town hall, regardless of the motivation. In an enlightened civil society in the year 2023, I find this inconceivable and unacceptable under any circumstances. The city of Salzgitter has therefore filed criminal charges against persons unknown. State security is investigating. I appeal to all people in Salzgitter to behave respectfully, tolerantly and peacefully. I call on all Salzgitter residents, regardless of their nationality, to respect and uphold human rights and our basic democratic order and to treat each other with respect and consideration in all differences of opinion. Only in this way will we be able to maintain social peace in our urban society. It is up to us, each and every one of us. It is up to us to decide how our urban society will develop. Charity and consideration bring us together, hatred and ideology divide us!"