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Arsonist caught in Leipzig: Police take action against fire devils!
A suspected arsonist was arrested in Plagwitz. Investigations are underway into several fires as protests against US attacks take place.
Arsonist caught in Leipzig: Police take action against fire devils!
On June 23, 2025, a suspected arsonist was arrested in Leipzig in connection with several fires in the Schleußig and Plagwitz districts. The police arrested the 33-year-old man on Antonienstrasse on the night of Thursday to Friday after a Caddy burst into flames. The suspect is now being investigated for nine cases of arson and attempted murder. After his arrest, he was taken to a correctional facility and the investigation is ongoing, reports the Leipzig Internet newspaper.
The identity of the alleged perpetrator raises questions. According to authorities, the man used a total of 27 different identities to obtain residence permits, which was confirmed by the state's Integration Minister Josefine Paul (Greens). This could apparently also be a reason for the suspension of his asylum procedure. However, using multiple names is a misdemeanor, not a criminal offense. According to Oliver Huth, the regional chairman of the Association of German Criminal Investigators, aliases and fingerprints can be researched across Europe, which makes clarifying identities more difficult WDR.
Mental health problems and possible deportation
North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) also reported possible psychological problems for the perpetrator. A mental illness could hinder returns, but does not represent a fundamental obstacle to return. Tolerated persons are generally required to leave the country, although the toleration can be issued in cases such as missing papers or an unsafe situation in the country of origin. At the moment it is not possible to deport the man to Iran because his identity has not yet been conclusively clarified and therefore there are no travel documents, as WDR explains.
A conviction can normally serve as grounds for deportation, although other factors could also conflict with this. In December 2022, the Conference of Interior Ministers decided to stop deportations to Iran nationwide, with the exception of those who pose a threat and serious crimes.
Protests and social issues in Leipzig
While the investigation against the suspected arsonist continues, significant protests also took place in Leipzig. At Willy-Brandt-Platz, hundreds of participants demonstrated against the American air strikes on the Ewin prison in Tehran and the Fordo uranium enrichment plant. The Israeli army had bombed these places, which caused great consternation, as the Leipzig Internet newspaper reported.
In addition, there were reports of racist chants during a graduation ceremony at a high school in Saxony, whereupon the school management distanced itself and filed a complaint. In a further development, the CDU parliamentary group in Leipzig is planning to prevent a new section of cycle paths on the Promenadenring. The fact that the number of foreign workers has quadrupled in the last decade is also leading to heated discussions about immigration, local media reports.
The social tensions in Leipzig are also reflected in a banner that was put up between the New Town Hall and the Stadthaus to mark the week against anti-Muslim racism, and in the almost 9,000 visitors to the 16th Jewish Week, which ended on Sunday. In addition, a verdict in the case of the controversial Compact magazine is expected at the Federal Administrative Court on Tuesday.