Far-right-motivated crimes have reached an all-time high in Germany, Interior Minister Horst Seefofer reported on Tuesday during the presentation of the annual report on politically motivated crimes.
In total, 23,604 far-right-motivated crimes were registered in 2020, representing an increase of 5.65% compared to 2019. The minister added that 3,365 of the registered cases had been crimes of violence. “With this, the crimes of the extreme right reach their maximum level since the statistics began to be kept. The extreme right is the main threat to the security of our country,” said Seehofer.
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In general, politically motivated crimes grew by 8.54% to reach 44,692 cases. “This is worrying because on the one hand it prolongs a trend that has been observed in recent years and also because there is a general increase in politically motivated violent crime,” said Seehofer.
Violent crimes, according to the report, grew 18.3%. In 2020, 11 people were victims of politically motivated homicides and there were also 13 attempted homicides registered by the authorities.
For its part, far-left motivational crimes reached 10,971, which represents an increase of 11%. “Although the main threat comes from the right, the ultra-left and Islamism cannot be lost sight of,” the minister warned.
Anti-Semitic crimes grew by 15.9% which, according to Seehofer, “is not only worrying, but also shameful considering the history of this country.” Seehofer also pointed out that a new focus of extremism is taking place in the demonstrations against the measures to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.
“The protesters make use of their right to protest, but strange coalitions are taking place that include adherents to conspiracy theories, esoteric groups, anti-vaccines and groups of the extreme right,” he said. According to Seehofer, there are frequent attacks on police officers and media representatives from the demonstrations and 300 acts of violence have been recorded in them.
