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Virologist Drosten at a press conference in January
Photo: Kay Nietfeld / dpa
The prominent virologist Christian Drosten was apparently insulted last Saturday while camping at a campsite in southern Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
A spokeswoman for the Neubrandenburg police inspection confirmed that he had filed a complaint against three permanent campers – two women and one man – for insult and defamation.
First, the online portal "We are Müritzer" reported on the incident.
Accordingly, Drosten was insulted, among other things, as a “mass murderer” who had “children on his conscience”.
According to the "Nordkurier", the long-term campers would have been difficult to calm down even with the arrival of the police.
Police examine witness statements
The police initially did not confirm the specific statements made when asked by SPIEGEL, citing ongoing investigations.
Testimonies would be examined.
According to the portal, Drosten himself has now left the campsite on Ellbogensee south of the Müritz as planned.
Drosten has been confronted with hate and hostility for months after he became known throughout Germany as an expert in the wake of the corona pandemic.
Critics of vaccinations and other corona protection measures have long regarded the Charité doctor as a hate figure.
In an interview with SPIEGEL in May 2020, Drosten already described that hate messages are now part of everyday life for him.
Such messages have "become normal, they are often completely crazy texts full of spelling mistakes, some writers are just pitiful, others are highly narcissistic, malicious and manipulative," said the virologist at the time.
Most recently, Drosten had been increasingly reluctant to make any statements.
The doctor left the expert committee, which is supposed to review the effect of the corona measures and submit reform proposals, in April.
fek/dpa