Following the violent death of a Moroccan teenager in Cologne, hundreds of immigrants have taken to the streets in nightly demonstratins to protest what they regard as continued evidence to be a Muslim in Germany is to be classified as a second-clas citizen. Muslim protestors interpret the death of Salih as a German attack on a Muslim, the police version fundamentally differs since in their view Salih was attempting to mug a 20 year old German man who responded with use of a knife to the heart of the Moroccan teen-ager. The police claim it is a case of self defense and they have witnesses to support that version of the incident.
The case really is not about which is the correct version, the issue stems from powerful feelings among Muslims in Germany that society treats them as second class citizens. They feel disenfranchised, they lack education opportunities, and continually are assaulted by insults from German politicians like Roland Koch. Each night, crowds come out shouting their anguished cries of “Salih, Salih” to unanswered responses.
The solution lies in resort to multiple programs of education, vocational training, equal opportunity laws to ensure equal treatment in job hiring, and efforts by German political leaders to tone down the anti-Muslim rhetoric.
