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Pro-Russian rally in Dresden
Photo: Daniel Schäfer / picture alliance / dpa
For the time being, the Office for the Protection of the Constitution does not expect violent mass protests in connection with the Ukraine war, possible energy shortages and high inflation.
But: the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution expects increased Russian propaganda and espionage activities in the coming months.
"Russia is using issues relating to Europe's energy supply in particular as a hybrid lever," the Federal Office announced on Wednesday.
With the targeted dissemination of false information, such as gas shortages and price increases, an attempt is being made to stir up fears of a possible existence-threatening energy and food shortage in Germany.
"Russian propaganda is likely to increase in the extremist milieu and fuel conspiracy narratives with the aim of driving a wedge into our society," the statement continues.
It is also to be expected that the Russian state "will continue to intensify and adapt its political and military reconnaissance attempts".
According to the domestic secret service, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its effects on the economy and the supply situation in Germany harbor a high potential for extremists to use them as instruments.
It can also be observed that various actors "are increasingly focusing on this complex of topics" and want to use it for mobilization.
Since this affects both right-wing and left-wing extremists, as well as enemies of the constitution who cannot be assigned to either of the two categories, a "special evaluation" was set up to monitor these activities.
However, the magnitude of possible future anti-state protests cannot be reliably predicted at this time.
"It is the task of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to monitor whether legitimate protests are being hijacked by enemies of democracy for their own purposes," said the President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang.
In July, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) had warned of “popular uprisings” in the event of a lack of gas deliveries in a conversation with the RND, but then put this statement into perspective and described it as exaggerated.
His authority is observing that a radicalized minority is positioning itself to abuse the war in Ukraine, rising prices and the corona pandemic for mobilization, said Haldenwang.
However, he emphasized: "So far there have been no signs of widespread anti-state protests or even violent mass riots."
Staged trial against Federal Minister of Economics Habeck
The recent events in Heidenau near Dresden give a foretaste of the coming protests and their radicalization, said the social researcher Piotr Kocyba from the TU Chemnitz.
There, the right-wing extremist micro-party Freie Sachsen wanted to stage a staged trial against Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) at a rally.
A ban by the assembly authority was later confirmed by the courts.
Kocyba told the dpa news agency: "It was a very deliberate provocation and crossing borders, as is typical for the extreme right."
The regional party Freie Sachsen is constructing "an alleged alienation of the democratic parties from the population and is trying to present itself as a socio-political alternative," summarizes the Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
The subject of inflation is currently being increasingly taken up by the AfD.
The party is classified by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a suspected right-wing extremist.
After an initial lawsuit against it was unsuccessful, the AfD now wants to defend itself before the Münster Higher Administrative Court.
In a current campaign, she describes the price increases as "the result of bad politics".
til/dpa
