Alleged coup plans
Politicians react to Reich citizen raids: Democracy is well defended, the rule of law is attentive
During a raid against so-called “Reich citizens”, hooded police officers lead Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss (back, middle) to a police vehicle after searching a house. A policeman carries bags, a bag and papers.
© Boris Roessler / DPA
After the raids on the Reichsbürger scene because of alleged coup plans in Germany, top politicians expressed their horror and concern. At the same time, they emphasize that the rule of law is capable of action and that democracy is defensive.
They are said to have planned a coup and in some cases also trained with weapons: the federal prosecutor’s office had 25 people from the so-called Reich citizen scene arrested. Around 3,000 police officers were on duty in eleven federal states on Wednesday morning, a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office in Karlsruhe told the German Press Agency. The terrorist organization wanted to overthrow the state system in Germany and replace it with its own, the basics of which had already been worked out. She would have accepted death for that.
22 of those arrested are said to be members of this terrorist organization, two of them ringleaders. Three others are considered supporters. There are also 27 other suspects, said the spokeswoman. More than 130 objects were searched. The investigations of the federal prosecutor’s office are also aimed at a soldier from the Bundeswehr’s Special Forces Command (KSK) and several Bundeswehr reservists. The federal prosecutor’s office wanted to start questioning the first arrested on Wednesday, the spokeswoman said.
“Values must be defended anew every day”
The raids caused dismay, especially among the traffic light coalition. At the same time, top politicians from the SPD, FDP and Greens emphasized the ability of democracy to defend itself.
It is very worrying that a former AfD member of the Bundestag is among the suspects Rolf Mutzenich (SPD) on Wednesday in Berlin at a joint press appearance. He continued: “The fact that parliament is obviously becoming more and more the focus of those who are prepared to possibly use violence affects parliamentarians, but that must not prevent them from doing their work.”
SPD parliamentary secretary Katja Mast welcomed the raids by the security authorities in the morning: “Our democracy was, is and will remain defensive,” she told the AFP news agency. “Our values have to be defended anew every day,” Mast continued. “There are forces that work every day to undermine our democracy. And our constitutional state must and can defend itself against this,” said the SPD politician.
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“Right-wing extremist terrorism is one of the greatest threats to our democracy”
“This morning shows that the state is able to defend itself against the internal enemies of democracy,” he said SPD faction vice Dirk Wiese the portal t-online. “One shouldn’t dismiss the violent fantasies of the Reich citizen scene as slapstick or madness,” he warned against underestimating those involved, who would not shy away from violence either.
Green parliamentary group leader Katharina Dröge said: “We take what we learned today very seriously. Right-wing extremist terrorism is one of the greatest threats to our democracy.” With the raid in eleven federal states, the authorities managed to “put a stop to very concrete plans to seize power and to smash a network of enemies of our democracy,” he said Green parliamentary group leader Konstantin von Notz on Wednesday the news portal t-online. The attack on the Capitol in Washington showed that anti-democratic speeches can also be followed by anti-democratic actions. “This danger must be taken very seriously.”
AfD: Condemn such efforts and reject them
FDP parliamentary group leader Christian Dürr said that if it is confirmed that a former AfD member of the Bundestag is involved in a conspiracy, that shows the quagmire in which the AfD as a party finds itself. Dürr: “Their concern is by no means about Germany, but rather about the destruction of parliamentary democracy. And precisely as parliamentary group leaders, we are protecting this parliamentary democracy, which is being attacked from this side.”
The AfD itself responded with one opinion the AfD federal spokesman Tino Chrupalla and Alice Weidel. “Like most citizens, we only found out about the case today from the media. We condemn such efforts and emphatically reject them. Now we have to wait for the investigations. We have complete trust in the authorities involved and demand a quick and complete enlightenment.”
Interior Minister Faeser: “Abyss of Terrorist Threat”
Also the President of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas (SPD) thanked the security authorities for their actions against the so-called Reichsbürger scene. “The measures show that our democratic constitutional state is attentive and able to act,” said Bas of the “Rheinische Post”. Bas thanked the Attorney General and all police forces involved for their efforts. “Now we have to wait for further investigations,” she said.
Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has spoken of an “abyss of terrorist threat” in view of the alleged coup plans. “As far as the investigations are concerned, the suspected terrorist organization uncovered today is driven by violent fantasies of revolution and conspiracy ideologies,” explained Faeser in Berlin. The minister announced that such efforts would continue to be “tough”.
“Our constitutional state is strong. We know how to fight back against the enemies of democracy with all our might,” Faeser continued. “I would like to thank the more than 3,000 federal and state police forces for their dangerous work today to protect our democracy.” The security authorities of the federal and state governments “worked together excellently under the direction of the Attorney General”.