The individual is under threat for filing charges against Höcke.

The individual is facing threats for bringing Höcke to legal action.

Sebastian Striegel, a member of parliament for the Greens in Saxony-Anhalt, took action against Björn Höcke by filing a criminal complaint. Höcke has been threatening Striegel with violence for months. In an interview, Striegel discussed his experience and what measures the state could take to shield individuals from hate crimes.

ntv.de: What are your thoughts on the outcome of the trial against Björn Höcke for using a Nazi slogan?

Sebastian Striegel: "Everything for Germany", the phrase Höcke yelled out at an AfD rally, was originally used by the Sturmabteilung (SA) of the NSDAP, a notorious terrorist organization that would brutalize their opponents. This slogan is prominent among neo-Nazi circles. The Halle Regional Court came to the conclusion that Höcke intentionally used this SA slogan, and as a result, he received a fine of 13,000 euros. I find this satisfying.

In response to your criminal complaint going public, extreme right-wing supporters targeted you as well. "He should be given a good beating" was one of the comments in emails sent to you. Have there been many insults and threats since the verdict against the Thuringian AfD leader?

I cannot tolerate Nazi slogans being shouted in public places. I expected this level of fanaticism from the far-right community as a reaction to the investigation and court proceedings. I, along with my office, received numerous emails and comments containing vile insults and threats during the investigation and the trial. Such comments still persist. I report any content with legal implications - threats, insults, defamation, and incitements to hatred.

What happens to those who send these hate messages?

Admittedly, some cases do not proceed further because of minor crimes or because the perpetrator cannot be identified. However, there are instances where proceeding merely results in an enforcement order or dismissal in exchange for a fine. The rule of law is starting to show some toughness here. We could use more of that.

By "do it more stringently," you mean...

We require centralized offices in all federal states to combat hate crimes. It should also become easier to report online hate crimes. Additionally, I would like the police to be more active online, particularly in areas known for high crime rates. At the moment, many people still perceive the internet as a realm where they can express their hatred without fear of repercussions. This attitude contaminates public discourse, scares people away, and drives those affected by hate to withdraw from debates.

Five years ago, a neo-Nazi published your home address online and called for you to be "hacked out into the light." Was the individual brought to justice?

Even though the man lurked outside my home, stalked me, and threatened me, he was not prosecuted. The public prosecutor's office felt that the infringement of my personal rights and those of my family was too insignificant. However, the accused has been convicted several times for other typical offenses in the neo-Nazi scene and will soon face his appeal trial. If he's sentenced to prison this time, it may not be followed by probation.

Did an escalation mark a specific point in time, such as the refugee crisis?

Insults and threats are not new. However, they didn't just stop at that. Acts of violence against politicians have increased, which culminated in the murder of Walter Lübcke. Invariably, these acts preceded by threats on forums or social media. There has been a noticeable cycle of escalation and deescalation. Whenever the far-right sparks a discourse, we witness an uptick in attacks on political activists, both physically and against their offices. During the humanitarian crisis of 2015 and 2016, this was particularly evident in the statistics. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the first few months after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Do you feel endangered in any way?

Being a member of parliament affords me a certain degree of protection. I view it as a privilege. But I don't take it for granted. I wish every politically engaged individual in this country could enjoy such a level of safety. We can only achieve this by fostering more dialogue and less hostility.

During your youth, you experienced the "baseball bat years" in the East. If necessary, when was a key moment for this period?

What sets this time apart was the rampant racism. Ponder the pogroms in Rostock-Lichtenhagen, Hoyerswerda, and Quedlinburg; each involved hundreds of people, with entire towns cheering for the violence. Except for the Heidenau demonstration in the summer of 2015, when right-wing extremists attempted to stop asylum seekers from moving into refugee accommodation, there have been no more such mass outbursts. Thankfully, the state now takes racist and anti-Semitic attacks much more seriously. The police have exemplified that they consider racist or anti-Semitic acts more gravely.

Nowadays?

What grabs my attention the most is how our culture of political discussions has deteriorated. People nowadays struggle to listen to each other and understand opposing viewpoints. They fail to accept that others could have valid points, even if they disagree with them. I believe we need to focus more on what we can do to contribute toward solving a problem rather than just criticizing others.

This issue is what both the AfD and the Greens are accusing each other of.

I hope that democrats continue to engage in civil conversations. Unfortunately, conversations with the AfD are often pointless since their goal isn't to find solutions. The AfD always seems to have someone or something else to blame: "foreigners", "Jews", "the elites", "the political parties", "those in power," and so on. I've never seen the far-right party putting forth real solutions for issues on the ground. But that's what's desperately required in these trying times - meaningful debates about the best course of action, constructive dialogue, and mutual understanding. If we don't make an effort to communicate, society will implode.

Thomas Schmoll had a conversation with Sebastian Striegel.