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Protests by people from the "lateral thinker" scene at an election campaign event by Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn (photo from August 19)
Photo: Karsten Schmalz / imago images / KS-Images.de
Election campaign events are particularly often disrupted by so-called lateral thinkers.
This was the result of a SPIEGEL survey of the parties represented in the Bundestag.
The Greens are particularly affected by this: "At almost every event, people from the spectrum of 'lateral thinkers' and corona deniers, as well as some from the right-wing extremist scene, try to disrupt the process by heckling, whistles, and drums," said a spokeswoman.
In Aschaffenburg, Maulbronn and Darmstadt there were scuffles in the audience, three people were slightly injured.
The time and place of some Green events were shared in "lateral thinker" groups in social networks.
The SPD also reports disruptive actions and insults, mostly from small groups from the new right or the "lateral thinker" scene.
Election campaigners had been spat at.
The CSU observes "an increase in disruptors who are often attributed to the 'lateral thinker' scene."
Only the FDP and CDU have recorded no disruptions so far - at least at the events organized by the party headquarters.
Attacks were expected
Die Linke writes that »especially migrant and feminist active candidates are repeatedly threatened«.
The attacks come "from the violent right-wing scene".
The AfD also reports an increase in disruptions, albeit not from “lateral thinkers” but from the “anti-fascist milieu”, according to a spokesman.
It was clear to the parties that there would be attacks in general: The secretaries-general of the CDU, SPD, FDP, CSU and the federal managing directors of the Greens and Left Party spoke with the Federal Criminal Police Office and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in mid-March, and with Arne Schönbohm, President of the Federal Office, at the end of March for security in information technology.
The authorities warned them of a "far more massive threat situation" compared to the federal election four years ago, especially "because of the heated atmosphere online", especially in the corona pandemic.
It was said at the time that the many election campaigners could hardly be protected.
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