Far-Right Political Crimes Increased in Germany in 2024
A right-wing rally in Germany. 2024. X/ @andreabox0
January 6, 2025 Hour: 9:56 am
Nearly two-thirds of these crimes fall under the category of propaganda offenses.
On Monday, Interior Ministry spokesperson Lars Harmsen reported that far-right crimes increased by 17% in Germany compared to 2023.
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As of Nov. 30, 2024, authorities recorded 33,963 far-right-motivated crimes, Harmsen said, warning that the final figure will rise since the data is incomplete. In the first eleven months of 2023, authorities registered 28,945 far-right crimes.
“This is a new record for politically motivated far-right criminality. It occurs primarily online, especially in the realm of criminal statements and propaganda offenses,” he stated.
The Interior Ministry’s 2024 list includes 1,136 violent crimes, most of which were assaults, compared to 1,270 violent crimes reported throughout 2023.
Nearly two-thirds of the 21,311 crimes, fall under the category of propaganda offenses, which includes activities such as the use of symbols of banned organizations or the glorification of criminal acts. Another 5,097 crimes were related to hate speech.
“We clearly see these figures as a warning sign,” Harmsen said, adding that the Ministry attributes the increase to a higher number of complaints processed through the Central Office for Criminal Content on the Internet, which was established in 2022.
Meanwhile, government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit described the upward trend in extremist-motivated crimes over recent years as “concerning” and urged society to respond with “civil courage and engagement,” while the state continues to review and enhance available tools to combat such crimes.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE
