Four arrests in nationwide raids against right-wing extremists

Created: 04/06/2022, 09:17

A police officer carries handcuffs and his service weapon.

© Oliver Berg/dpa/symbol image

Investigators have been taking action against suspected right-wing extremists in eleven federal states since the morning.

Four people from the environment of an Eisenach martial arts group were arrested, said a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor in Karlsruhe on Wednesday.

There is a suspicion of membership in a criminal organization.

Karlsruhe/Eisenach – There are 50 suspects nationwide.

The “Spiegel” and other media had previously reported.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, investigations had preceded the operation since 2019, in particular against the "Nuclear Weapons Division" (AWD), the German offshoot of a right-wing extremist group founded in the USA.

The martial arts group is therefore "Knockout 51".

The group acted from Eisenach in Thuringia.

The allegations are about physical harm, especially against people from the left-wing scene, it said.

The accused are said to have tried to "ensure order" with neighborhood strips.

In addition, members of "Knockout 51" are said to have taken part in protests against the Corona measures in order to provoke violence there.

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Raids against hate online: the police are also searching the homes of suspects in Hesse

According to the information, the “Flieder Volkshaus” in Eisenach, which houses the state headquarters of the right-wing extremist NPD, is also affected by the searches.

The martial arts group training is said to have taken place in the house.

According to the federal prosecutor, the right-wing extremist group “Combat 18”, which was banned in early 2020, was also affected by the raids.

This is about violations of the prohibition of association.

dpa