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“Think outside the box” without initiator Michael Ballweg? How to proceed now

2020-12-26T18:28:40.989Z


Michael Ballweg does not want to register any more "lateral thinking" demos until further notice. But experts warn: The movement remains dangerous.


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Michael Ballweg: The initiator of "lateral thinking" announced on Christmas Eve that it would initially no longer register any major demos

Photo: Christoph Schmidt / dpa

According to the scene expert Tobias Ginsburg, the possible withdrawal of "lateral thinking" initiator Michael Ballweg in no way means the end of the movement.

"Lateral thinking" is behind the demos against the corona protective measures.

Ginsburg told »Watson« that the network of corona deniers is larger than Ballweg.

"Even if Ballweg should disappear - a whole series of money-hungry and power-hungry profiteers and conspiracy ideologues are waiting in their starting blocks."

Ballweg had announced in a video message on Thursday that he would initially no longer register any major "lateral thinking" demonstrations.

With this retreat in winter, he stated, he was supposed to gather strength for spring.

"For this reason, I will no longer register any major demonstrations." He also recommends this to other "lateral thinking" groups in Germany.

Ballweg also called for acceptance of the previously imposed ban on the large demonstration planned for December 30th in Berlin.

The deputy chairman of the Greens in the Bundestag, Konstantin von Notz, expressed his amusement on Friday about Ballweg's announcement: "Meetings with the purpose of promoting the harmlessness of Covid-19 are apparently too dangerous at the moment."

The religious scholar and anti-Semitism commissioner of the Baden-Württemberg state government, Michael Blume, suspects on Twitter that Ballweg is trying to "pile up with his #stack".

Ballweg and the "lateral thinking" movement had come under increasing pressure in the past few weeks.

The Stuttgart-based group "lateral thinking 711", which is considered to be the nucleus of the nationwide movement, is meanwhile being observed by the Baden-Württemberg Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

The State Office counts several key actors in the milieu of the Reich citizens who deny the existence of the Federal Republic and deny democratic and constitutional structures.

According to his own statement, founder Ballweg does not consider the previous reasoning for the observation to be sound.

It is based mainly on rumors and is an attempt to intimidate.

Ballweg is also criticized for his financial behavior.

In August, SPIEGEL reported how Ballweg was benefiting financially from the movement.

Recently, research by Netzpolitik.org and the ZDF Magazin Royale drew attention to Ballweg's handling of cash flows from “lateral thinking” supporters.

Icon: The mirror

ply / dpa

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2020-12-26

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