Communal living: A cultural exploration. - Senator emphasizes greater danger posed by right-wing extremism compared to Islamism.
Right-wing extremism remains a more significant danger to democracy than Islamism, believes Hamburg's Interior Senator Andy Grote (SPD). He justified this on Monday, focusing on the AfD's radicalization both at the federal level and in various state branches during the Hamburg Constitution Protection Report presentation for 2023. The AfD is reportedly suspected of anti-constitutional activities nationwide, with potential individuals like Thuringian faction leader Björn Höcke positioning themselves in government offices. However, the Hamburg state branch of the AfD won't be under observation by the Constitution Protection.
Islamism is still a potential threat too. The demand for a caliphate at Islamist demonstrations in Hamburg goes against the principles of the Basic Law, said Senator Grote. Although Islamism isn't structurally advancing everywhere, it's worrisome due to its notable brutality and fanaticism in some instances. He began the press conference with a moment of silence for the slain police officer in Mannheim.
Over 1800 people in Hamburg identify as Islamists, per the report, up from 955 in 2014. 83% of all Islamists exhibit violent tendencies. Key groups include Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Furkan Community, and Muslim Interactive. In 2023, the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) was confirmed by the Administrative Court to be under legal reportage by the Constitution Protection. Authorities suspect the IZH, which operates the Blue Mosque on the Alster, of being controlled by Iran and harboring extreme views. The police investigated the center following this confirmation, with 54 objects being examined across the country. The review of the seized material is still ongoing, and the ban of the association is anticipated.
An estimated 390 right-wing extremists exist in Hamburg currently, up from 380 last year, but they are seen as inconsistent. Most of the perpetrators are intoxicated, wanting to provoke security forces. Last year, 716 right-wing-related offenses took place, primarily due to expression and propaganda crimes. There were 55 incidents of right-wing violence, a decrease by one from the previous year.
In the left-wing extremism category, numbers declined to 1060 from 1130 in 2022, reportedly caused by a loss of significance by orthodox communists. The ongoing Israeli-Gazan conflict has polarized the left-wing scene, with pro-Palestinian anti-imperialists occupying the Red Flora, resulting in the exchange of locks.
According to the constitution protection agency, Antifa groups have gained increasing membership. Despite this, not every Antifa member is an extremist. Senator Grote highlighted the diffuse situation within this group, as the focus is on anti-fascists working to overthrow the democratic system. Left-wing extremist crimes also rose, from 80 to 137 in the same reporting year.
Criticism of the Red-green Senate came from the CDU faction's parliamentary spokesperson, Dennis Gladiator, branding them blind to the Islamic threat. The Senate needs to actively combat Islamism, he insists. Grote countered, assuring that right-wing extremism is the most considerable danger to society. However, he was challenged by AfD faction leader Dirk Nockemann, who criticized Grote's claims as praying for their validity. Nockemann contradicted the numbers put forth by the Constitution Protection agency, asserting that Islamic extremists are in fact the greatest threat to democracy.
Cansu Özdemir, the leader of the Left faction, expressed her views on the domestic intelligence agency's lack of reliability in the fight against right-wing groups. "Instead of being a trustworthy ally, the agency's actions have only served to discredit and keep an eye on progressive politics," she said.
Anna von Treuenfels-Frowein, an FDP legislator, pointed out the increasing prominence of Islamist groups in Hamburg, attributing it to the Senate's long-standing inaction and negligence. She warned that this development endangers our democratic values and is accompanied by rising anti-Semitism.
