The Office for the Protection of the Constitution reports the highest number of right-wing extremist crimes in Saxony.
Hate crimes hit a record high in 2023, with 712 cases reported - a sharp increase from the previous year. Politically-motivated crimes also saw a rise to 222 cases. Offenses involving propaganda like the usage of symbols from unconstitutional organizations and incitement to hatred also shot up, with 1873 cases documented - representing around 73% of the total number of crimes. Additionally, there was an uptick in right-wing motivated violent crimes at 69 incidents, marking an 11% rise from last year.
Experts from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Saxony believe that there are approximately 3,000 individuals linked to the Reichsbürger movement. This number is 500 more than a year ago. The intelligence agency estimates that around 2.9% of this group are right-wing extremists. The rise can be connected to the ongoing pursuit of an autonomous country separate from the Federal Republic, known as the 'Kingdom of Germany.' This group aims to purchase land in various German states.
In Saxony, there are around 5,750 people connected to the right-wing extremist spectrum, up from 4,350 the previous year. The main reason behind this escalating number is the classification of the AfD (Alternative for Germany) party and its youth wing, Junge Alternative (Young Alternative), as securely right-wing endeavors.
The Verfassungsschutzbericht 2023 (Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution) estimated the number of supporters of the left-wing extremist scene at 905 - slightly higher than the 890 recorded in the previous year. Leipzig continues to be a significant hub for the autonomy movement. A total of 804 left-wing extremist crimes were documented, 191 of which were violent offenses.
Dirk-Martin Christian, the president of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, underlined that right-wing extremism continues to pose the "greatest challenge" for society. However, opening parts of the left-wing extremist scene for local martial arts could signal a new level of professionalism in the use of violence.
Saxony's Interior Minister, Armin Schuster (Christian Democratic Union), stated that left-wing extremism "presents a grave threat to our democracy and our rule of law" due to the potential for violent individuals.
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- The highest number of reported criminal offenses categorized as right-wing extremist crimes occurred in Saxony, surpassing the maximum value from the previous year.
- The Protecting the Constitution Office in Dresden revealed that there was an increase in criminal offenses involving right-wing extremists, which accounted for around 73% of the total reported crimes.
- The rise in right-wing extremist crimes in Saxony can be partly attributed to the classification of the AfD party and its youth wing as securely right-wing endeavors, leading to an increase in individuals linked to the right-wing extremist spectrum.
- To effectively address and protect against criminal offenses associated with right-wing extremism, it is crucial for constitutional protection agencies to remain vigilant and take adequate measures to safeguard the constitution in Saxony and beyond.
Source: www.stern.de
