Public court records or official statement from German authorities

Influencer Atallah Younes Arrested in Berlin After Firing New Year's Eve Firework Into Child's Bedroom

Jan 4, 2025, 03:51 PM

Atallah Younes, a 24-year-old social media influencer from the West Bank, was arrested by German police at Berlin's BER airport as he attempted to leave the country. Younes had filmed himself launching a New Year's Eve firework into an apartment in Berlin's Neukölln district, which flew through an open window and exploded inside a child's bedroom. The incident, captured on a TikTok video and shared widely, sparked widespread outrage and led to police investigations for attempted aggravated arson. Younes later deleted the video and issued an apology on Instagram, claiming he did not intend to hurt anyone and was unaware of how fireworks operate. He expressed confusion over the police investigation, questioning if they thought he was a refugee, and stated he had resolved the issue personally with the apartment owner. Despite his apology, Younes was detained while trying to depart Germany, and a judge is set to review whether to issue an arrest warrant. Younes, who also holds Jordanian and Palestinian passports, had been studying Public Relations at An-Najah National University in Nablus.