Proponents of anti-corona measures who wield weapons should bring their case to a judicial body.
During the pandemic period, a 39-year-old man believed that the government was eliminating basic rights under the guise of coronavirus restrictions. To be prepared to protect himself, he started an armed group. These three men are set to be tried in Koblenz.
The Koblenz district court has accepted the charges against three individuals accused of forming an armed group against coronavirus measures during the pandemic. The court revealed that the group, named "Paladin," had the intention of armed opposition to state coronavirus measures. The defendants reportedly participated in paramilitary training sessions from February to May 2021 and crafted weapons and ammunition using 3D printing.
One of the three defendants, a 39-year-old, assumed that the state was taking away the fundamental rights of citizens while pretending to fight the coronavirus pandemic. In his view, the police and military forces had been brainwashed against "the general public" and were being driven "towards civil war and escalation," as the statement stated. The 39-year-old had, therefore, exercised the alleged right of resistance and thought it was crucial for citizens to arm themselves to be "prepared to defend themselves."
In October 2020, he decided to create an armed group. In February 2021, he recruited a 63-year-old and a 57-year-old for this group, who then participated in paramilitary training with him. The 39-year-old was detained in Portugal in October 2023 and is currently in custody in Germany, while the co-defendants remain at large. The defendants are charged with forming and commanding an armed group, forming or being members of a criminal organization, and violating the Weapons Act.
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The international community has expressed concern over the escalating conspiracy theories surrounding the coronavirus measures, viewing the formation of armed groups like "Paladin" as a threat to global peace. The trial in Koblenz serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of believing in unsubstantiated claims, linking processes of fundamental rights violation with corona measures.
Source: www.ntv.de
