Germany announces action plan against neo-Nazis, extremists

BERLIN

The German government unveiled on Tuesday a new “action plan” to combat racism and right-wing extremism.

“The biggest threat to our democracy is right-wing extremism,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told a news conference in Berlin, where she announced the details of the 10-point action plan.

She said the government’s comprehensive plan will include both preventive policies and consequent measures to counter the growing threat posed by right-wing extremists.

“We will dismantle the far-right networks. We will investigate and stop their financial activities,” said the Social Democrat minister.

“We will resolutely combat hate speech on the internet in order to dry up the breeding ground for hatred and violence,” she added.

According to the plan, the government will take measures to swiftly weed out officers with extremist ties from public service.

The government will also introduce strict regulations on firearms to prevent right-wing extremists from getting guns in future, and will work to revoke firearm licenses of nearly 1,500 far-right suspects.

Germany witnessed growing racism and xenophobia in recent years, fueled by the propaganda of far-right, anti-Semitic, and anti-Muslim groups, including the main opposition party Alternative for Germany, or the AfD.

German police recorded nearly 21,500 crimes by right-wing extremists in 2021, including verbal and physical assaults, threatening letters, and arson attacks.

In 2019, right-wing extremists killed a pro-refugee politician in Kassel and attacked a synagogue in Halle, raising alarms over far-right terror in the country.

In February 2020, a far-right extremist stormed two cafes in Hanau and shot dead nine people with migrant backgrounds.

Far-right terror in Germany has claimed the lives of at least 218 innocent people since 1989, according to the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. Human rights groups have long criticized authorities for underestimating the threat and not seriously investigating crimes committed by neo-Nazis.