The leader of the German district with the highest infection rate in Germany has been placed under protection after receiving threats, police said on Friday (November 27th), suspecting the involvement of "
anti-mask
"
activists
.
Read also: Conspiracy, distrust ... French anti-masks refuse "the muzzle"
Thomas Müller, elected conservative for the district of Hildburghausen (Thuringia), was placed under protection Thursday after being targeted by threats on social networks in the previous days, he told the DPA agency on Friday.
The local police confirmed the placement under protection and the opening of an investigation to identify the perpetrators of the threats.
She suspects the involvement in these threats of the anti-mask movement, active in Germany with regular demonstrations throughout the country.
Police patrols have been stepped up in this district of 63,000 inhabitants, where very severe restrictions were put in place Wednesday, with the closure of schools and night curfew.
The infection rate, which reaches more than 600 per 100,000 inhabitants, is the highest there in Germany, where the mark of one million people tested positive for Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic was crossed on Friday.
These strict measures were badly received by the "
anti-masks
", several hundred of whom marched Wednesday evening in the streets of Hildburghausen.
Most were not wearing protection against the virus during this parade which, according to the police, was attended by members of the local far right, the AfD party in particular, and that the elected official had severely criticized.
The demonstration was finally dispersed by the police who had to use tear gas.
Even before the pandemic, the issue of protecting elected officials was sensitive in Germany, with death threats increasing for several years against personalities of all stripes.
In June 2019, a conservative elected official in favor of welcoming refugees, Walter Lübcke, was assassinated at his home.
Two far-right sympathizers are currently on trial in this murder.
SEE ALSO
- Who are the anti-masks?
