Ebling warns of continuing radicalization of right-wing extremists
Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Michael Ebling has warned of the ongoing radicalization of right-wing extremists, "Reich citizens" and "delegitimizers" as well as the formation of mixed scenes and terrorist structures. The three right-wing extremist phenomena shared common characteristics. These included hostility towards the democratic system as well as the spread of conspiracy myths, disinformation and anti-Semitic narratives, said the SPD politician at an event on "Internal Security" in Mainz on Thursday.
"Extremists are abusing crises in order to exploit and push emerging fears and insecurities in parts of the population," warned Ebling. Their aim is to shake and destabilize the social and political order in order to ultimately overthrow it and eliminate democracy. Crises and conflicts act as catalysts for such anti-democratic forces. This is currently evident in the context of the war in the Middle East. The Minister emphasized: "We are determined to stand firm against this and defend our values against extremists and enemies of democracy."
The group around the entrepreneur Heinrich XIII Prince Reuß, which is said to have planned to overthrow the political system in Germany by force of arms and install a new government, is a "prime example of a process of dissolution between these scenes and of the formation of a violent mixed scene", said Sinan Selen, Vice President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV). Although the group primarily belongs to the "Reichsbürger" spectrum, "it also has personal and ideological overlaps with the phenomena of right-wing extremism and constitutionally relevant delegitimization of the state". Reuß, who was arrested at the end of last year, had already made contact with Russian representatives at the time.
Mainz-based social and legal psychologist Roland Imhoff said that, unlike politics or even science, conspiracy theories provide an answer - "and always the same one". They also give "an illusion of control".
"Reich citizens" and so-called self-administrators do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany as a state. The BfV estimates that the scene has around 23,000 followers - and the trend is rising.
Internal security threats from extremists continue to be a concern, as Ebling pointed out, with right-wing extremists using crises to exploit and radicalize more people, including "Reich citizens" and "delegitimizers." Extremism seeks to undermine our democratic system by spreading conspiracy myths, disinformation, and anti-Semitic narratives, aiming to ultimately overthrow democracy.
Source: www.dpa.com
