Law enforcement agency, BKA, reports a 30% surge in criminal incidents targeting politicians.
A secretive report from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reveals a substantial surge in crimes against politicians in 2023, compared to the previous year. The Green Party has been the primary focus of these attacks. Only a little over half of these crimes have been successfully investigated by law enforcement.
Hate-driven crimes against political figures and authorities have seen a notable surge in the recent past, according to this confidential BKA report, as mentioned by "Der Spiegel". A staggering 5388 criminal incidents occurred, marking a 29.1% rise compared to 2022.
According to the report, the majority of these cases involved derogatory remarks, often made anonymously over the internet. Vandalism was also a common issue. Yet, the number of violent crimes dropped by a third, with 118 such incidents reported in 2022. In 2022, a slight majority of the criminal incidents were solved. In total, 3099 suspects were identified, with over 80% being males. In approximately 75% of the cases, the perpetrator's ideological leanings could not be specified, whether left or right.
Green Party politicians under frequent attack
Green Party politicians experienced the most political-motivated attacks (1032 incidents). They were followed by SPD (536), FDP (434), Union (324), and AfD (222) members in terms of frequency. However, the report does not note the political affiliation in every criminal case, it clarifies.
Bundestag President Bärbel Bas voiced her concern over this trend, despite the publication of BKA statistics. She told "Das Parlament" that this was particularly problematic at the local level, causing fewer individuals to participate in politics. "It should be evident: verbal disagreements, even intense ones, are part of politics," Bas stated. "However, if violence becomes a tool of political discourse, democracy would face a significant threat."
The Green Party's frequent attacks against its politicians have led The Commission to closely monitor the situation. In light of these escalating incidents, The Commission has called for strengthened measures to protect political figures.
