Extreme nationalist rhetoric espoused at a private gathering - "Let's prevent far-right fanaticism from becoming the standard!"
In a significant development, eight men were arrested in the city of Dortmund, Germany, over the weekend. The men, aged between 22 and 42, are suspected of engaging in activities that are illegal and potentially harmful to democracy.
The arrests took place over three deployments, starting at 23:20. The first deployment showed no abnormalities, but during the second deployment at 23:45, the officers threatened usual consequences. This was followed by the third deployment at 23:59, during which NS propaganda was played over loudspeakers.
Witnesses reported disturbances to the police control center, and interviews revealed they heard "L'amour toujours" with right-wing extremist content. These findings led the officers to disperse the party.
The arrested men's mobile phones were secured by the police, and their fingerprints were taken. The State Protection Department of the Dortmund Police has taken over further investigations into the case.
The arrested men are now facing criminal proceedings for incitement of the people, use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations, and dissemination of NS propaganda, among other charges.
Police President Gregor Lange expressed concern about right-wing extremism coming from broader society. He stated that the dissemination of NS propaganda or other hate speech is an attack on democracy.
This incident is a continuation of the Dortmund Police's ongoing efforts to combat right-wing extremism and hate speech. It is also a part of the broader trend in 2024, where most right-wing extremist acts were committed by individuals previously unremarkable in terms of criminal law.
Historically, right-wing extremism in Germany, including in regions like North Rhine-Westphalia where Dortmund is located, has involved groups such as the NSU (National Socialist Underground), which committed a series of murders and attacks from 2000 to 2007. However, that case is closed and focused on different cities rather than Dortmund specifically.
Recent reports indicate broader activities and arrests related to right-wing extremism elsewhere in Germany, but there is no direct mention of such arrests or extremist cell structures based specifically in Dortmund in 2025.
As of mid-August 2025, there are no publicly reported incidents explicitly linking recent right-wing extremist attacks or arrests directly to Dortmund that provide detailed new information on perpetrator structures or recent arrests. Dortmund’s local authorities and public figures, including Mayor Ullrich Sierau, continue to emphasize the city’s opposition to right-wing extremism and present Dortmund as a tolerant community.
If more recent or detailed intelligence emerges on perpetrator structures or arrests relating to Dortmund beyond public sources, this would be handled by security agencies and local authorities.
The arrests in Dortmund are related to general-news topics, particularly politics and crime-and-justice, as the eight men were apprehended due to suspicions of engaging in illegal activities that threaten democracy. The arrested men are currently facing criminal proceedings for incitement of the people, use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations, and dissemination of NS propaganda, among other charges.
