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| German far-right party AfD accused of fuelling hate after Hanau attack | German far-right party AfD accused of fuelling hate after Hanau attack |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Leading politicians say Alternative für Deutschland should face surveillance | Leading politicians say Alternative für Deutschland should face surveillance |
| Leading German politicians have called for the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland to be placed under surveillance, claiming it has helped to fuel the extremist rhetoric behind the deadly attack on Hanau. | Leading German politicians have called for the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland to be placed under surveillance, claiming it has helped to fuel the extremist rhetoric behind the deadly attack on Hanau. |
| Nine mostly young people all with an immigrant background were murdered on Thursday in the western German city by Tobias Rathjen, a 43-year-old who had posted a racist video and manifesto on the internet before carrying out the killings. | Nine mostly young people all with an immigrant background were murdered on Thursday in the western German city by Tobias Rathjen, a 43-year-old who had posted a racist video and manifesto on the internet before carrying out the killings. |
| On Thursday night thousands of people took to the streets in 50 cities across Germany to mourn the victims of the attack, and take a stance against the far right in vigils at which candles were lit. Some chanted “Nazis out” and “Never again”. | On Thursday night thousands of people took to the streets in 50 cities across Germany to mourn the victims of the attack, and take a stance against the far right in vigils at which candles were lit. Some chanted “Nazis out” and “Never again”. |
| The interior minister, Horst Seehofer, announced he would be increasing police protection at mosques and other locations considered vulnerable to attack by rightwing extremists, declaring, ahead of a meeting with representatives of the Turkish and Kurdish communities, that “the bloodstains of rightwing extremism are trailing across Germany”. | The interior minister, Horst Seehofer, announced he would be increasing police protection at mosques and other locations considered vulnerable to attack by rightwing extremists, declaring, ahead of a meeting with representatives of the Turkish and Kurdish communities, that “the bloodstains of rightwing extremism are trailing across Germany”. |
| Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in the coalition government with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, led the calls for a clampdown on the far-right AfD, insisting it had contributed to a normalisation of the use of far-right rhetoric. | Lars Klingbeil, general secretary of the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in the coalition government with Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats, led the calls for a clampdown on the far-right AfD, insisting it had contributed to a normalisation of the use of far-right rhetoric. |
| “One person carried out the shooting in Hanau, that’s what it looks like,” he told broadcaster ARD, “but there were many who provided him with the ammunition, and the AfD is definitively among them.” He said the AfD had contributed to a “poisoning of society” in the past few months and years, particularly since it entered the German parliament as the largest opposition party in 2017. Parliamentary proceedings have become noticeably more abrasive in tone since the AfD took up its seats. | “One person carried out the shooting in Hanau, that’s what it looks like,” he told broadcaster ARD, “but there were many who provided him with the ammunition, and the AfD is definitively among them.” He said the AfD had contributed to a “poisoning of society” in the past few months and years, particularly since it entered the German parliament as the largest opposition party in 2017. Parliamentary proceedings have become noticeably more abrasive in tone since the AfD took up its seats. |
| “It is very clear that the AfD is a party which should be under constitutional surveillance,” Klingbeil said. The domestic intelligence agency has been monitoring the party to judge whether it should be under surveillance, but has so far not taken the step. The youth wing of the AfD, the JVA, is under constitutional watch. | “It is very clear that the AfD is a party which should be under constitutional surveillance,” Klingbeil said. The domestic intelligence agency has been monitoring the party to judge whether it should be under surveillance, but has so far not taken the step. The youth wing of the AfD, the JVA, is under constitutional watch. |
| In Germany, if authorities establish that an organisation has what are deemed “extremist ambitions”, then it can be monitored closely using a variety of surveillance techniques. | In Germany, if authorities establish that an organisation has what are deemed “extremist ambitions”, then it can be monitored closely using a variety of surveillance techniques. |
| The general federal prosecutor Peter Frank said on Thursday that Rathjen had demonstrated a “deeply racist mindset” in his internet posts. Among the questions being asked are whether he could have been prevented from carrying out his deadly spree, after which he killed his mother and then himself. | The general federal prosecutor Peter Frank said on Thursday that Rathjen had demonstrated a “deeply racist mindset” in his internet posts. Among the questions being asked are whether he could have been prevented from carrying out his deadly spree, after which he killed his mother and then himself. |
| Investigators are also examining whether he acted on his own or had the support – either explicit or implicit – of other groups or individuals. | Investigators are also examining whether he acted on his own or had the support – either explicit or implicit – of other groups or individuals. |
| Rathjen possessed two guns legally, both of which were bought on the internet. The Glock pistol he used to carry out the attack had been optimised to release the bullets more quickly, German media has learned from investigators. | Rathjen possessed two guns legally, both of which were bought on the internet. The Glock pistol he used to carry out the attack had been optimised to release the bullets more quickly, German media has learned from investigators. |
| Among the calls for a tightening of security across Germany, including an increase in surveillance of far-right activity online, are demands for a stricter control of firearms. | Among the calls for a tightening of security across Germany, including an increase in surveillance of far-right activity online, are demands for a stricter control of firearms. |
| Other politicians were also quick to criticise the AfD. “Of course there is a direct connection between the growing strength of the AfD and the increase in rightwing violence,” said Boris Pistorius, interior minister for the state of Lower Saxony, and member of the SPD. “There is a fatal disinhibition that has been set in motion and the AfD is complicit in this.” | Other politicians were also quick to criticise the AfD. “Of course there is a direct connection between the growing strength of the AfD and the increase in rightwing violence,” said Boris Pistorius, interior minister for the state of Lower Saxony, and member of the SPD. “There is a fatal disinhibition that has been set in motion and the AfD is complicit in this.” |
| Cem Özdemir, a prominent Green party member with Turkish roots, said it was time mainstream parties excluded the AfD, calling it “the political arm of hate”. | Cem Özdemir, a prominent Green party member with Turkish roots, said it was time mainstream parties excluded the AfD, calling it “the political arm of hate”. |
| The AfD was founded as an anti-euro party, but rose to prominence on the back of the refugee crisis in 2015, during which up to 1 million refugees came to Germany. It won 12.6% of the vote at the last election and is represented in the parliaments of each of Germany’s 16 states. | |
| It has frequently called for the forced deportation of foreigners and blames refugees for making life in Germany less safe. It has urged a rethink over Germany’s remembrance culture of its Nazi past. Its most prominent member, Björn Höcke, has called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a “monument of shame”, while one of its leaders, Alexander Gauland, called the Nazi era “a mere birdshit” in Germany’s otherwise proud past. | It has frequently called for the forced deportation of foreigners and blames refugees for making life in Germany less safe. It has urged a rethink over Germany’s remembrance culture of its Nazi past. Its most prominent member, Björn Höcke, has called the Holocaust memorial in Berlin a “monument of shame”, while one of its leaders, Alexander Gauland, called the Nazi era “a mere birdshit” in Germany’s otherwise proud past. |
| The AfD responded angrily to the demands for it to recognise any responsibility for the Hanau attacks, calling the demands a “shabby, and disgusting instrumentalisation of this monstrous crime” in a statement posted on Facebook. | The AfD responded angrily to the demands for it to recognise any responsibility for the Hanau attacks, calling the demands a “shabby, and disgusting instrumentalisation of this monstrous crime” in a statement posted on Facebook. |
| “The ‘Manifesto’ of the crazed man of Hanau is now known. The remote diagnosis of a psychiatrist is that he was suffering from paranoid hallucinatory schizophrenia. In other words, he belonged in the psychiatric ward! But rather than suggesting that, attempts are being made to put the blame on us for his act of madness,” the statement added. | “The ‘Manifesto’ of the crazed man of Hanau is now known. The remote diagnosis of a psychiatrist is that he was suffering from paranoid hallucinatory schizophrenia. In other words, he belonged in the psychiatric ward! But rather than suggesting that, attempts are being made to put the blame on us for his act of madness,” the statement added. |