Two local AfD politicians in Karlsruhe are assaulted by masked individuals.
A number of attackers caused harm to several individuals, including two AfD city councilors, in a cafe in Karlsruhe. These individuals stated that a baseball bat was the weapon used in the assault.
On Saturday evening, two AfD city councillors in Karlsruhe found themselves facing masked assailants in front of a city center cafe. Five people were left with minor injuries, as mentioned by a local police official. Treatment was provided on-site for these individuals. Five suspects were initially arrested, only to be later released after their identities were verified. Others suspected of being involved escaped.
As per the AfD in Karlsruhe city council, the perpetrators were linked to the extremist left. The police were initially hesitant to make any comments on this matter. In a statement, the AfD's Karlsruhe city council said, "thanks to the bravery of security personnel sitting at a nearby table, things could have been much worse."
Seeking Swift Action
Owing to the recent string of attacks on politicians across different regions, the German Association of Counties has urged the state to take prompt action. These incidents during the municipal and European election campaign are intolerable and should be "punished with the full force of the rule of law." According to Landkreis President Reinhard Sager in an address to the Funke Group's newspapers, "threats and physical violence are not a part of democratic competition." Society should not condone such behaviour.
In response to these attacks, Federal Minister of Agriculture Cem Özdemir emphasized the necessity for swift retribution for the perpetrators. Özdemir expressed his views to the "Zeit" newspaper, stating, "the severity of the punishment isn't the main issue, but that the punishment comes quickly." The message to the perpetrators should be clear: "this state is resolute, and it means business."
In the span of two days, politicians were targeted in several federal states. A member of the AfD parliament in Dresden faced a violent assault on Saturday. In Schleswig-Holstein, fireworks were launched into a crowd during an SPD election campaign event on Friday. SPD Bundestag member Bengt Bergt had a narrow escape after a fireworks rocket came close to him. Furthermore, a left-wing politician was victimised in a supermarket in Thuringia on the same day. Image: "German Association of Counties"
Read also:
Given the escalating violence against politicians, including two AfD city councilors being assaulted with a baseball bat in Karlsruhe by masked individuals, the local police have increased their presence in the area to ensure safety. Subsequently, the Karlsruhe chapter of the AfD has called for stricter measures against extremist left-wing groups, emphasizing the need for law enforcement to take swift action against such perpetrators.
