Racist attack: German man kicks Syrian teen in head, spits in face

A man has been arrested over a racist attack on a Syrian teenager that was caught on camera, triggering outrage across Germany.

A 39-year-old German man attacked the 17-year-old refugee in the eastern city of Erfurt in one of the city’s trams late Friday.

The governor of Thuringia state, where Erfurt is located, billed the attack “simply disgusting”.

“The perpetrator has been caught,” the governor, Bodo Ramelow, wrote on Twitter.

“Such a cowardly person, strong and aggressive against someone who was defenseless.”

A video posted online shows a man standing over the seated victim, repeatedly insulting and spitting at him, and then kicking him in the face.

Police said the 12-year-old victim from Syria suffered minor injuries in the attack, which followed a verbal argument.