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Justice Minister Lambrecht on the police: "We now have circumstances and incidents that are already very worrying"
Photo: Political Moments / imago images / Political-Moments
There are allegations of right-wing extremist activities against 30 police officers - mostly from the Essen police headquarters (read an analysis here).
Nevertheless, according to a report by the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) is still against a study on right-wing extremism and racism in the police.
His cabinet colleague Christine Lambrecht (SPD) therefore appeals to him.
Seehofer must understand that it is not about placing the police officers "under general suspicion, but that it is in their own interest that we know more," said Lambrecht in the RTL / ntv program "Frühstart".
It must be clarified which instruments in the recruitment, training and service of civil servants would have to be changed in order to counteract this.
"That must be in the interests of an interior minister," said Lambrecht.
Lambrecht described such a study as necessary after several right-wing extremist incidents with the police.
"We now have circumstances and incidents that are very worrying."
She believes that it has long since ceased to be just a matter of individual cases.
Now it must be clarified whether the problems are structural.
Police officers are there to protect democracy and citizens.
But that is only possible if it is certain that they have both feet firmly on the ground of the Basic Law.
The Minister of Justice also spoke out in favor of reporting points that police officers can turn to if they overhear extremist statements or actions.
In view of the many right-wing extremist images and statements in the current case in North Rhine-Westphalia, the question arises who knew about it and why there was no reaction.
"That is why we need such reporting systems so that one does not fall under suspicion of blackening colleagues."
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as / AFP