On 18 October two people threw Molotov cocktails at a synagogue in Berlin, as anti-Semitic violence escalated in Europe. The attacks came after Hezbollah called for a ‘day of rage’ over the explosion at a hospital in the Gaza Strip, where hundreds of people are feared dead. The Central Council of Jews said that ‘day of rage’ was not just a phrase but ‘psychological terror that leads to concrete attacks’. The synagogue also houses a community centre, a kindergarten and high school for 130 children. One local said, ‘We knew it was only a matter of time and it's not the end.’ Jewish institutions typically have ongoing police protection in Germany, and reports suggest officers were at the scene when the attack happened. Hours later, police briefly detained a man who approached the building on a scooter, then ran towards the synagogue shouting anti-Israel slogans.