A shopfront in northern Germany has sparked widespread condemnation after displaying a sign barring Jewish customers, a chilling echo of the 1930s that has unsettled politicians and the public alike. Police in Flensburg have launched a criminal investigation into the shop’s owner following a flood of complaints from residents. Though the sign was taken down from the facade under official pressure, reports say it still hangs inside the premises.

Officials described the act as blatant incitement and a dangerous reminder of Germany’s darkest past. Local leaders stressed that such displays of hate cannot be normalised, warning that the reappearance of these symbols risks feeding deeper divisions in society. The incident has added fuel to an already fraught climate, with authorities reporting a sharp rise in discriminatory incidents since the outbreak of the Gaza genocide.

The shop owner attempted to defend the move by linking it to anger over current events, but activists dismissed this as an excuse for hate speech. At a time when emotions are heightened by the ongoing genocide, the case highlights how prejudice and hostility can be dangerously amplified, threatening to resurface the scars of history under the cover of contemporary grievances.