Office for the Protection of the Constitution: "Reichsbürger" are becoming increasingly popular
Created: 12/07/2022, 3:30 p.m
A patrol car pulls up at a branch of the Federal Court of Justice.
© Julian Rettig/dpa
The protection of the constitution evaluates the major raids in several federal states as an important "blow against militant and widely networked parts of the Reich citizen scene".
The successful operation is based on the "close and trusting cooperation between the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and the police authorities," said the President of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Thomas Haldenwang, on Wednesday.
Berlin - Among other things, the state authorities for the protection of the constitution in Baden-Württemberg and Hesse and the military counter-intelligence service (MAD) were involved in clarifying the facts.
The President of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution emphasized that the so-called Reich citizens and self-governing bodies pose a continuing high risk.
He said: "The scene is still very active and dynamic and has again received significant growth in the past year."
The network that has now been uncovered is a prime example of the emergence of a new violence-oriented scene in which ideologies of Reich citizens, conspiracy narratives from the area of "delegitimizing" the state and right-wing extremist narratives mixed.
He warned: "Above all, the propaganda of an impending "Day X" can create considerable pressure to act in such clandestine groups and ultimately trigger serious acts of violence."
"Reich citizens" are people who do not recognize the Federal Republic and its democratic structures.
The Office for the Protection of the Constitution ascribes around 21,000 followers to the scene.
On Wednesday, the federal prosecutor arrested suspects in eleven federal states as well as in Italy and Austria.
The accused are said to have formed a terrorist organization that allegedly wanted to overthrow the political system in Germany.
dpa