Right-wing extremism
“Hammerskins” banned: nationwide large-scale raid on neo-Nazis
Police forces carry out a raid against a neo-Nazi group in Berlin-Alt-Hohenschönhausen. photo
© Paul Zinken/dpa
Their symbol is two crossed hammers. Now the Federal Minister of the Interior has banned “Hammerskins Germany”. It is said that the raid involving 700 police officers had been prepared for over a year.
According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the association was acting against the constitutional order and against the idea of international understanding in justifying the ban. In addition, the purpose and activities of the association ran counter to criminal law. At the group’s concert events, even non-members with right-wing extremist ideas are ideologized. Members of the association are also active in the martial arts scene. According to information from security circles, they also offered themselves as a security service for right-wing extremist events.
Cash and right-wing extremist devotional items
According to Faeser, during the searches, in addition to cash, large amounts of right-wing extremist devotional items were confiscated. “In some federal states, search measures have been further expanded based on current findings,” she added. As the Ministry of the Interior in Schwerin announced, the ammunition recovery service was used during the searches in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. There was also talk of weapon-like objects.
According to the ministry, the federal and state governments worked together for over a year to prepare for the ban. There was also cooperation with US partner authorities. The neo-Nazi group is an offshoot of a group from the USA and has existed in Germany since the early 1990s. Anyone who wanted to join the association, which sees itself as elitist, had to go through various stages in order to be recognized as a full member.
Not the first ban by the Interior Ministry
The right-wing extremist organizations that have been banned in Germany in recent years include “Combat 18” and “Nordadler”. According to the ministry, this is the 20th ban on a right-wing extremist organization by the Federal Ministry of the Interior.
The ban is “a hard blow against organized right-wing extremism,” said Faeser. This will send “a clear signal against racism and anti-Semitism” and end the inhumane activities of an internationally active neo-Nazi association. Right-wing extremism is still “the greatest extremist threat to our democracy.” Faeser emphasized: “That’s why we continue to act with all determination to destroy right-wing extremist structures.”
Many federal states affected
During the raid, three properties were searched in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, including in the village of Jamel, which is known for clashes between right-wing extremists and opponents. The police went to four places in North Rhine-Westphalia. Four suspects were affected in Brandenburg, two locations in Berlin, six objects in Saarland and one suspect in Hesse.
The ban shows that the traffic light government is tackling the fight against the right with determination, said the parliamentary managing director of the Green parliamentary group, Irene Mihalic. The domestic politician added: “Of course we have to go even deeper and resolutely oppose any attempt to establish right-wing parallel societies.” The Colditz case showed how deeply right-wing extremism has “ingrained itself into social life in some places and how criminal structures have established themselves.” This creates a climate of fear.
In August, the public prosecutor’s office brought charges against a father and his two sons from the small Saxon town of Colditz for gang-related drug trafficking. At the end of March, 5.5 kilograms of crystal, several weapons, luxury cars and an indoor plantation with 2,600 marijuana plants were found during a raid. After the three men were taken into custody, the Saxon state parliament member Albrecht Pallas (SPD) called for right-wing extremist networks to be deprived of their financial basis. He said: “The operation in Colditz did much more than just uncover drug offenses among organized neo-Nazis. It made a city breathe a sigh of relief.”