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Interior Minister Nancy Faeser during a visit to the GSG-9 special unit in Sankt Augustin
Photo: Andreas Rentz / Getty Images
Hate and insults have long been part of everyday life online and at demonstrations - now a staged kidnapping of Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) shows a new dimension.
In view of the tasteless video, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has now announced harsh consequences against people who threaten politicians because of rising energy prices.
"The freedom to demonstrate has its limits where other people are injured," Faeser told the news channel "Welt".
Looking at the Habeck video, she said that this was being pursued with all the severity of the rule of law: "Something like that doesn't work at all." There are also limits to what can be said.
"You can demonstrate against rising energy prices," said the Interior Minister.
But it is "just not okay to threaten other people".
In the video, shared in far-right groups on Telegram and Facebook, a man wearing a red and orange prison suit, with a sack over his head and handcuffed is shown inside a vehicle.
The person is obviously intended to represent Habeck.
A voice can be heard announcing what is supposed to be a verdict: “You, Robert Habeck, are sentenced by the people to 16 weeks in the pillory on the local market square.”
The Federal Ministry of Economics has already reported the video on Facebook.
A possible lawsuit is also being examined, the ministry said.
According to the Dresden public prosecutor's office, there is already an investigation into this case.
Incitement to commit a crime is a criminal offence.
The spokesman for the Dresden public prosecutor, Steve Schulze-Reinhold, said there was initial suspicion.
It will be checked whether it is a criminal offense.
You evaluate the video.
»The peaceful protest stops where others are threatened«
With the video, right-wing extremists around the micro-party "Free Saxony" want to advertise a demonstration in Heidenau in which a Habeck actor is to be pilloried in the form of a theatrical performance.
In the past, "Freies Sachsen" had called for protests in Heidenau several times, according to the city, no more than 40 to 50 people came together.
Interior Minister Faeser warns against joining such protests, “or even liking such a post”.
Faeser emphasized: "We will also hold those who posted this video responsible for it." The video had been used to advertise a protest in Heidenau, Saxony.
The development of increasingly raw threats is causing her concern.
»It also caused me great concern when my colleague Karl Lauterbach was threatened.
There's a lot of hate and hatred going around on the internet right now," said Faeser.
»The peaceful protest stops where others are threatened, as is the case now by my colleague Robert Habeck.«
mrc/dpa/AFP
