Searches - Faeser forbids right-wing "Compact"-Magazine
The Constitutional Protection Agency, which has labeled the "Compact" magazine as right-wing extremist, has banned its appearance. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has prohibited the media company as well as the Conspect Film GmbH. According to her ministry, a total of 339 law enforcement officers searched premises of the organization, as well as the homes of leading figures, management, and shareholders in Brandenburg, Hesse, in Pirna, Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. A total of 14 objects were searched on the basis of a court order.
The goal of the raid was the seizure of assets and evidence, according to a statement. A house in Falkensee, Brandenburg, whose address is listed in the magazine's imprint, was searched. Police officers seized copies of the magazine and technical equipment from the building. According to the Federal Interior Ministry (BMI), cash, gold, merchandise articles, stage technology, vehicles, and account ledgers were confiscated. The "Compact" websites were blocked.
"Compact" Chief Editor Jürgen Elsässer spoke of an unprecedented infringement on press freedom and said to reporters: "What we have in Germany today is an undemocratic regime, just like the SED regime was."
Faeser justifies the ban by stating that "Compact" is a "central megaphone for the right-wing extremist scene." She says: "This magazine incites hatefully against Jews and Jews, people with a migration background, and our parliamentary democracy." The ban shows "that we also take action against the intellectual arsonists who fan hatred and violence against refugees and migrants and want to undermine our democratic state."
"Anti-democratic Positions"
The Constitutional Protection Agency ruled in 2022 that the magazine, led by Chief Editor Elsässer, promotes "as a multimedia company, anti-democratic and inhumane positions in society."
The leading figures of the magazine maintain contacts with important figures of the so-called New Right. In the "Compact" online shop, one could previously purchase a coin with the portrait of the Thuringia AfD state chairman Björn Höcke. Elsässer incites his supporters at events with slogans like "Ami go home" and "Friendship with Russia." The AfD's lead candidate for the European elections, Maximilian Krah, who has been criticized internally in the party for several scandals, was praised by "Compact" as a "Patriot" and "Agent of the People" on the cover.
For the ban of an organization, it is not enough that it holds anti-constitutional views. An additional requirement is that it does so in an aggressive and militant manner. The ministry stated in its statement that it was to be expected that readers and viewers of "Compact" media products would be incited to action through their publications, which also "openly propagate the overthrow of the political order."
The ministry also accuses the media company of a "volkisch-nationalist social concept" and refers to its "resistance and revolutionary rhetoric."
Criticism of Faeser from the AfD - Greens' Approval
The co-chairs of the AfD, Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel, wrote in a joint statement: "We observe these developments with great concern." The ban is "a heavy blow against press freedom." Faeser received support from the Greens.
The Party chairman Omid Nouripour wrote on platform X: "It is absolutely correct that the BMI bans this antisemitic and racist medium." Media State Minister Claudia Roth (Greens) said: "Press freedom is a fundamental pillar of our democracy and rightfully covers a broad protection area." However, if it is misused to aggressively and militantly act against the liberal-democratic order, all the more so in an aggressive and militant way, then clear boundaries have been crossed.
Support came also from the Union faction. Fraktionsvize Andrea Lindholz (CSU) told the "Nordkurier": "A medium that agitates against parliamentary democracy month after month and stirs up hatred against minorities is not acceptable in Germany." It would be wrong to connect the ban in any way with censorship.
Hamburg's Senator for the Interior Andy Grote (SPD) commented: "The successful strike against this constitutionally hostile medium of the New Right is a clear signal from the rule of law to its enemies."
In the past year, Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Falkensee for the mayoral campaign, where the focus of the searches was now. Scholz was shouted at and insulted during the Europa Festival in June 2023. A group shouted "War monger", "Peace is made without weapons", and "Off with it!".
However, Elsaesser does not only have friends in this place. A resident told a reporter during the raid, he wanted nothing to do with the publisher and its representatives.
- The ban on "Compact" magazine and its associated media company was implemented in Falkensee, Brandenburg, following the Constitutional Protection Agency's labeling of it as right-wing extremist.
- The Federal Interior Ministry (BMI) carried out raids in various locations across Germany, including Brandenburg, Hesse, Pirna in Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt, targeting the organization and its key figures.
- The raids were conducted to seize assets and evidence, including copies of the magazine, technical equipment, cash, gold, merchandise, stage technology, vehicles, and account ledgers.
- The "Compact" websites were subsequently blocked by the ministry.
- Jürgen Elsässer, the Chief Editor of "Compact", criticized the raids, comparing the current situation in Germany to the undemocratic SED regime.
- Nancy Faeser justified the ban by stating that "Compact" was a central megaphone for the right-wing extremist scene, inciting hate against Jews, people with migration backgrounds, and parliamentary democracy.
- The Constitutional Protection Agency had previously ruled that "Compact", led by Elsässer, promotes anti-democratic and inhumane positions in society.
- The magazine was accused of having contacts with important figures of the New Right and inciting hatred through its publications and events.
- The AfD's co-chairs criticized the ban as a heavy blow against press freedom, while Green Party members supported the action, citing the magazine's aggressive and militant promotion of anti-liberal-democratic views.
- The Union faction also approved of the ban, stating that a medium that agitates against parliamentary democracy and stirs up hatred against minorities is not acceptable in Germany.
- Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz and Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock visited Falkensee in the past year for a mayoral campaign, where they were met with protests and insults from a group of individuals.
- Residents in Falkensee expressed mixed feelings towards Elsässer and his publications, with some expressing disapproval and distancing themselves from him during the raids.
