German authorities have dropped a case in which a 10-year-old Afghan boy raped a classmate during a school trip while Syrian and Afghan accomplices held him down, as the perpetrators are apparently not old enough to be tried.

The incident began when 38 students from a Berlin school went on a field trip to Schloss Kröchlendorff, a castle in Nordwestuckermark, Germany. The students were supposed to have a fun day out enjoying nature – but that wasn't possible for everyone.

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The day turned horrific for a 10-year-old boy, who was told by the perpetrators: "We f**k you today!" A total of three boys ganged up on the victim; an Afghan and a Syrian, both aged 11, held him down while a 10-year-old Afghan boy sexually abused and raped him, according to the Berliner Zeitung.

Two other classmates saw the incident unfold, but did not notify any teachers. It was not until a week-and-a-half later that a friend of the victim told a social worker at school what had occurred.

After the rape became known, the school informed parents and police. The perpetrators were suspended from school.

But now authorities have dropped the case, stating that the boys are simply too young to be tried in the justice system since they are not at least 14 years of age.

The best that can apparently be done is to stop the main perpetrator from attending a normal school with other students. "We want to exhaust all legal possibilities that the main perpetrator does not attend regular school, but experiences special schooling," a spokeswoman for the Berlin School Administration said on Monday, as quoted by the Berliner Zeitung. The two boys that held the victim down are now attending schools in other districts.

The disturbing case comes as anti-immigrant sentiments continue to boil in Germany. Such feelings have been on the rise since the 2015 refugee crisis which saw the country take in over one million asylum seekers.

It also comes amid violent clashes between anti-immigrant protesters and counter-protesters, after a 35-year-old German was fatally stabbed by suspects identified as Afghan and Syrian nationals in the city of Chemnitz.

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