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Crime scene in Rhineland-Palatinate: deadly shots at two police officers (picture from January 31)
Photo: WOLFGANG STEIL / AFP
After the killing of two police officers in Rhineland-Palatinate, the "Hate Speech" investigation group identified 399 cases of hate and hate speech online in connection with the crime.
According to the provisional status, 102 of these posts are criminally relevant, said Rhineland-Palatinate Interior Minister Roger Lewentz (SPD) in Mainz.
In 15 cases, a specially set up investigative team has already identified those responsible.
The "Hate Speech" investigative group includes 14 experts.
Lewentz called the shooting of the two young police officers "a cowardly murder in the most brutal way."
Some people would have celebrated the crime on the Internet or mocked the victims.
"I find that shameless - that's pure contempt for human beings, and that's disgusting," said Lewentz.
It is "hardly tolerable" that the relatives of the victims now also have to endure hatred and hate speech on the Internet.
Already on Friday night, the police in the Herrstein-Rhaunen district (Birkenfeld district) arrested a man who is said to have spread hate comments against police officers on the Internet and called for violence.
The 55-year-old is said to have uploaded two videos to his public Facebook profile in which, among other things, he gave instructions on how to lure police officers onto a dirt road and ambush them.
The President of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office (LKA), Johannes Kunz, said on Monday that there were indications "that speak for an assignment to the spectrum of Reich citizens".
A 24-year-old police officer and a 29-year-old chief inspector were shot and killed during a traffic check near Kusel on Monday a week ago.
The two suspects, 38-year-old Andreas S. and 32-year-old Florian V., are in custody on charges of joint murder and commercial poaching.
bbr/dpa/AFP
