Politically motivated crimes in Germany reach record high

By Euronews

Published connected 20/05/2025 - 14:52 GMT+2•Updated 15:01

The number of politically motivated crimes successful Germany has risen quickly against a backdrop of nan Israel-Hamas warfare successful Gaza and nan country's wide elections successful February, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said connected Tuesday.

In 2024, German authorities registered complete 84,000 crimes — a 40% summation from nan twelvemonth anterior and nan highest number recorded since nan occidental European federation started search specified incidents successful 2001.

Dobrindt said that cases had accrued successful almost each areas, but highlighted antisemitism and right-wing extremism arsenic nan main threats to Germany's democracy.

According to nan numbers he presented, conscionable complete half of each politically motivated offences were associated pinch right-wing extremism, including neo-Nazism.

“Last year, we had to woody pinch a very monolithic summation successful right-wing, politically motivated crimes. That is why we will proceed our conflict against right-wing extremism and right-wing motivated crimes,” he said.

Increase successful anti-Semitic crimes

A suspected antisemitic motive was recorded successful 6,236 cases registered. The 21% summation includes 2,832 cases motivated by antisemitism, registered nether nan topics of "Israel" and "Palestine".

Dobrindt outlined that a ample information of nan 793 politically motivated convulsive crimes reported to nan constabulary successful nan discourse of nan warfare successful nan Middle East were related to protests and demonstrations.

The summation successful numbers was attributed to nan Israel-Hamas warfare successful Gaza fuelling antisemitism arsenic good arsenic nan German national predetermination successful February.

According to nan ministry, nan number of incidents accrued sharply during nan election, pinch nan Green statement and nan Alternative for Germany (AfD) nan superior targets of politically motivated attacks.

Politicians decried nan emergence successful attacks, pinch Dobrindt calling for giving much powers to rule enforcement successful consequence to nan "extreme increase" successful cases.

Among different measures, he projected expanding nan minimum situation condemnation for assaults connected constabulary officers from 3 to six months.

He besides advocated for further criminalising weapon attacks — making them punishable pinch a minimum of 1 twelvemonth successful situation alternatively of six months.

Natalie Pawlik, nan authorities commissioner for anti-racism, criticised nan "dramatic" summation successful racist, antisemitic and Islamophobic crimes successful nan country.

Politically motivated crimes were spreading "fear and terror," Dobrindt said, and preventing volunteers and politicians from efficaciously carrying retired their work.