After assassination in Halle: Seehofer Gamerszene wants to watch more - and harvest scorn

Horst Seehofer likes to play. He has often hinted at this: What fascinates and relaxes him is the model train in his hobby cellar. In May 2016, a team from the ARD program "Beckmann" was allowed to film the politician's refuge for the first time.

But otherwise, he has made clear this weekend, holds the CSU Interior Minister of players not much: After the terrorist attack by Halle Seehofer has sparked a controversy in social media with comments on computer game platforms.

"The problem is very high, many of the perpetrators or the potential perpetrators come from the gamers scene," said Horst Seehofer the ARD. The program "Report from Berlin" distributed a corresponding excerpt from a video interview with the Minister via Twitter.

"We have to take the gamer scene more into focus," says Interior Minister #Seehofer after the attack in #Halle. Right-wing extremism in the network and how well the security authorities can tackle it is the subject of the #Berlin report So, from 6.30 pm @First & in the livestream pic.twitter.com/wHcHWJNDon

The right-wing extremist assassin of Halle has published a schedule before the act, which acts as a scripted version of a computer game. According to security authorities, extremists of different colors also use gaming platforms. Since exchanges often take place without moderation, some of these forums offer communication below the radar of the authorities.

"Some take simulations almost as a model," said Seehofer. "You have to look closely to see if it's a computer game, a simulation, or a covert plan for an attack, and that's why we need to take a closer look at the gamers' scene."

The interview excerpt sparked on Twitter broad ridicule and derisive criticism. Users wrote that Seehofer distracts with his speech from the problem of right-wing extremism and put gamers under general suspicion. Numerous users use the Seehofer template for the alleged explanation of other historical events - like the cabaret artist Shahak Shapira.

This young man has also radicalized in the #Gamer scene. pic.twitter.com/7qeUyt0Vie

Other users made fun of the simple causality of the Seehofer Declaration. They looked for other similarities of gunmen - and were quickly found: in food.

What do all tyrants, mass murderers, serial killers, terrorists, gunmen and communists have in common?

Loaf.

We should take a closer look at that. #Seehofer #HorstdesYear https://t.co/DVRDlaEv95

The idea that games are generally aggression-promoting, was widely adopted by the Seehofer critics. Pokémon, Candy Crush and even board games were used as alleged evidence of the terrorist threat emanating from the game.

No shooter in the world makes me even nearly as aggressive as a round Monopoly.
I think we should take a closer look at the board game scene. #Gamerszene #Seehofer https://t.co/FE5qYoRJDi

Right-wing radicals became right-wing radicals because they were running to the right as kids at Super Mario all the time. #Gamerszene

Many observers felt sheer bewilderment. "How can you chop your job over and over again?", For example, asked the Youtuber Rezo, who attracted attention in the spring with a critical video on the Federal Government's policy and plunged the Union into a communication crisis. "He and his crew are really blatantly incompetent," Rezo now wrote about the Home Secretary.

Seehofer had previously irritated with statements about the Internet. For example, at a press conference on security in January, he claimed that he had been online "since the 1980s". And after his announcement in 2018, to want to speak up via Twitter in political debates to speak, followed by just two posts - then he retired from service back.