“We are witnessing the worst wave of racist and right-wing violence in 20 years,” said Ulrich Lilie, president of Diakonie, one of the largest Christian charities in Germany. He made the statement in November, but evidence shows that the wave is still coming in today. Yet the government seems reluctant to take steps to prevent this radicalization.

Deutsche Welle reported last November on the increasing instances of violence against refugees, saying that “at least 104 violent attacks against asylum centers have been recorded, including 53 acts of arson.” The report said that refugee advocates are frustrated by the low rate of prosecution for such attacks.

“A consistent, fast and successful prosecution can help prevent further escalation of violence,” said Lilie. But such prosecution is not happening. In its absence, the radicalization has increased. Is it possible the government is trying to cover up violent events, such as the Cologne attacks, in an effort to make Europe’s assimilation of refugees seem successful?

Last year, a team of reporters from Zeit Online and Die Zeit studied 747 cases of punishable offenses listed in the statistics of the Federal Criminal Police Office. Among these were 222 serious attacks, which did or could have resulted in injuries. The team found that a perpetrator was convicted in only four of the 222 cases. In less than a quarter of the 222 cases a suspect was found. Their follow-up article explained the findings:

Chancellor Angela Merkel promised in September [that the state would] go after those who attack refugees “with all means available.” Now, though, it has become apparent that her promise was an empty one. Hardly a day goes by anymore without a violent criminal attacking a refugee hostel. Sometimes they hurl paving stones or Molotov cocktails, while at others, they simply set facilities on fire or flood them. In a distressing number of instances, investigators and the judiciary are helpless, and the perpetrators go unpunished.

In January, Tagesschau reported that, during 2015, the Federal Criminal Police Office registered five times more attacks against asylum accommodations than in 2014. This amounted to 1,000 crimes, but only every fourth case was being assessed. German authorities are reluctant to pursue such cases because they know that prosecution of their own citizens would be decried by some segments of the population. This reluctance makes attacks more likely.

Saxony, Germany, harbors the worst of the violence, and its refugee camps are still sometimes set ablaze. In one case, citizens attempted to prevent the fire department from extinguishing the fire. These citizens either had no fear of being arrested or their hatred outweighed their fear. But, since the population knows it is unlikely to be prosecuted, such events should come as no surprise.

In February, a Bundestag meeting was called to discuss the Saxony attacks. Attendees agreed that violence had reached a new level and authorities needed to take immediate action. However, neither the chancellor nor any minister from the government was in attendance, convincing some onlookers that the government was not taking the crisis seriously.

Such worries grew in April after Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) Roman Reusch became head attorney general. The AfD is known for its hatred toward refugees, and Reusch is seen as especially scandalous. “He sits on the board of the AfD in Brandenburg and supports controversial theses about juvenile delinquency and crimes committed by foreigners. Nevertheless, Roman Reusch is now to be Berlin’s chief prosecutor,” reported Spiegel.

The move convinced some that Germany isn’t seeking justice for refugees but rather to conceal acts of violence against them. “The Turkish association condemned Reusch’s appointment as a scandal,” Die Welt reported. Ayse Demir, chief executive officer of the Turkish Union of Berlin-Brandenburg, called the appointment “more than worrisome.”

Chancellor Angela Merkel appears to be trying to appease both the refugees and the citizens, but this tactic is only encouraging more violence.

Last August, Spiegel wrote “Dark Germany, Bright Germany: Which Side Will Prevail Under Strain of Refugees?” It has since become clear that it is both the German people and the government who are empowering “dark Germany.” To understand what will happen in the future as dark Germany continues to prevail, read our article: “Has Germany’s Strongman Finally Arrived?”