Photo: Private
According to the public prosecutor’s office, she is 23 years old, studies at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and is involved in the anti-Israel movement. Charifa B. shows her true colours on social media: she is said to have posted photos of Hamas leaders and posed herself with a 50-centimetre-long fake weapon.
As has only now become known, the German-Algerian posted the photo with the fake weapon on Instagram in October. The story with the picture was publicly visible for 24 hours. A spokesperson for Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences (Hesse) told the newspaper BILD: ‘When we spotted the photo and suspected that it had been taken in one of our buildings, we immediately notified the investigating authorities.’
The university added: ‘According to the student, it was a TikTok challenge that involved bringing the most bizarre object to the university.’ This was distasteful, ‘but at no time was there any danger of actual firearms being used, nor was there any danger to life and limb’.
University President Prof. Dr. Arnd Steinmetz personally ‘explained the seriousness of her behaviour’ to the student. Charifa B. is an official student representative in the ‘Social Work’ department. She is said to have apologised.
As a result, on November 11, the university issued a ban on weapons on campus, which also applies to ‘imitation weapons,’ i.e., fake weapons.
According to the Darmstadt public prosecutor’s office, the current case does not constitute a criminal offense under the Weapons Act. However, Chief Public Prosecutor Robert Hartmann explains: ‘We are investigating on suspicion of incitement to hatred.’
The suspicion could stem from the student’s political activities. She is the spokesperson for the group ‘University for Palestine,’ which aims to relativise Hamas’s terrorism. Bags of ‘treats’ were distributed to first-year students, along with flyers and stickers with anti-Israel propaganda. B. is also said to have posted stickers. Clearly visible: a map of Palestine on which Israel has been erased.
The student and the group ‘Hochschule for Palestine Darmstadt’ were not available for comment when contacted by BILD.
Photo: Private