Ralf Jäger, the interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, said in a statement that the crimes committed last New Year’s Eve in Cologne, Germany, were committed almost exclusively by „people with an immigrant background“.

Really? Were Chinese, Vietnamese, Russians, Mexicans and Koreans among the perpetrators? And even then, does Mr. Jäger really think that a person’s origins are a behavioral determinant? That’s racism!

What does the fact that many of the perpetrators are Arab have to do with their criminal acts? Most members of HoGeSa (Hooligans against Salafis) come from Germany. Does that explain their behavior?

Concerning the organization PEGIDA (Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the Occident), Ralf Jäger doesn’t mention the origins of its members. He once called PEGIDA members „neo-Nazis in pinstripes“. He could have also said that they are „Germans“, but he knows origins don’t matter; it’s the convictions that are crucial.

So, Mr. Jäger, are there any convictions or is there perhaps an ideology shared among the perpetrators? Is there a book or a role model to which they feel obligated? You have the police reports. Clarify us!

And please stop with the racism! Origin is irrelevant. It’s more important to know what those perpetrators believe in, what inspired them in their deeds and how they define themselves.

(Translation by William Wires)