A man affiliated with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party creates disorder at a memorial event - party declares distance from his actions.
Alleged Right-Wing Extremist Vandalizes Holocaust Memorial in Lower Saxony
A 25-year-old individual, suspected of having links to right-wing extremism, allegedly caused a disturbance at the NS memorial in Ahlem, Hannover, at the end of January. The offense occurred during a memorial event for Holocaust victims, and the police have classified it as politically motivated.
Surveillance cameras captured the suspected perpetrator committing the act, and subsequent raids resulted in the discovery of a machine pistol and ammunition. The authorities have accused the man of violating weapons and narcotics laws, although no charges have been officially filed yet.
The man was arrested in Hungary in May and later extradited to Germany. He remains in custody while the investigation continues. Previously, he had been under investigation in connection with politically motivated crimes, and in 2019, he was being investigated as part of a right-wing extremist group. This group is no longer active.
Initially, reports indicated that the 25-year-old was a member of the AfD party in Lower Saxony at the time of the incident. However, the AfD has since denied his membership, stating that it was obtained through fraudulent means. The man had concealed his previous memberships in the right-wing extremist party "Die Heimat" and its youth organization "Junge Nationalisten." Both these organizations are on the AfD's list of incompatible organizations, and neither current nor former members are accepted.
As soon as the man's identity became known, the party annulled his membership. The AfD denounced the act in the strongest terms, stating that desecrating a memorial commemorating the horrific crimes of the Nazi era is abhorrent. The party also expressed their intention to contact the memorial team and have made it clear that there is no place in the AfD for individuals who commit crimes at such sites.
It is important to note that Germany's domestic intelligence agency (BfV) has officially designated the AfD as a "confirmed extremist entity." This may impact the handling of such cases, but further details and information can be found in local news sources or official announcements from German authorities.
The alleged act of vandalism at the Holocaust memorial in Lower Saxony, perpetrated by a suspected right-wing extremist, is classified as a politically motivated crime, falling under the category of general-news. Following his arrest in May, reports emerged that the man had previously been a member of the incompatible right-wing extremist group "Die Heimat" and its youth organization "Junge Nationalisten," despite denying his affiliation with the AfD party in Lower Saxony.
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