Illegal activity - Inquiries prompted by hateful content.
German law enforcement agencies have cracked down on individuals suspected of spreading hate and incitement online. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) in Wiesbaden confirms over 70 homes were searched, and numerous suspects were questioned during Thursday morning raids. Across all federal states, there were over 130 police operations, a BKA representative stated.
The majority of the hateful rhetoric traced back to right-wing political crimes, the BKA revealed, coordinating the day of action.
"We need to halt the cycle of hate and violence," remarked Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD). "The internet is a breeding ground for violence where hate is spread." To combat online hate crimes consistently, the BKA teams up with state police to address the problem. "As we observed today with more than 130 measures nationwide, this tough approach is what's necessary," Faeser added.
This crackdown specifically targets islamist and anti-Semitic hate speech, which celebrates the violence of Hamas and erases Israel's existence. Faeser emphasized her determination to handle right-wing extremist and anti-democratic hate posts, including disturbing death threats against prominent figures in their country.
A sizable number of cases involved politically motivated crimes that couldn't be linked to a specific political side. Some also stemmed from "foreign ideology" and "religious ideology" categories.
Among the criminal content probed were hate speech instances and propaganda offenses like swastika usage or other Nazi symbols. Furthermore, there were anti-Semitic remarks tied to the Middle East conflict, such as "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." This phrase (in German: "Vom Fluss bis zum Meer, Palaestina wird frei sein") can be interpreted as a call for Israel's destruction, expulsion, and elimination of its Jewish population.
Other investigations entailed threats and insults leveled at politicians, public servants, and officeholders. "These threats involve, in part, detailed execution plans," BKA noted.
BKA: Report Hate Speech
The BKA reported a substantial increase in the number of police-registered hate speech cases from 3396 in the previous year to 8011. In politically motivated crimes - foreign ideology and religious ideology categories, the increase was staggering, quadrupling from 2020 figures. One reason for this rise is more awareness raised by the BKA's Central Reporting Point for Criminal Content on the Internet (ZMI), partnering with various organizations.
Acting against internet hate crimes, BKA urges citizens to report if they encounter such posts or are themselves victims. They can also report these statements to the social network providers, reporting points, or media authorities of the federal states.
References
- Author: Mirko Torrasch
- Source: https://www.redaktion538.de/politik/deutschland/deutschland-100960866/Polizei-Zeigt-an:Hassbotschaften-Fuengen-gegen-rechtsradikale-auf-der-Sucht.html
- Date: 2022-03-24
- Author's Website: https://www.redaktion538.de/
