Hazardous Decals Spotted
Stickers of Harm: The Dark Side of Public Adornments
Wandering through the city, one might notice stickers plastered everywhere - on lampposts, signs, vending machines, and more. These little tags can be about football, bars, or politics, becoming a part of the city's fabric in some places. However, in others, they can be annoying or even dangerous. Recently, stickers with razor blades embedded in the adhesive side have surfaced, causing potential harm when removed.
Fortunately, Münster has yet to witness such malicious stickers, as Konstanze Heine from the local police press office confirms no such incidents have been reported in the past five years. However, nationwide, the phenomenon seems to have originated back in 2014 during the Ruhr derby between FC Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund. Anti-Schalke stickers in Dortmund were equipped with razor blades, setting a chilling precedent for subsequent occurrences.
These incidents have become increasingly prevalent, with their roots less tangled in football culture and more intertwined with right-wing political ideologies. Carsten Peters, a member of the "No Meter for Nazis" alliance, remarks with concern on the rise of these hateful acts intended to spread fear, injure those with opposing views, and prevent the swift disposal of their extremist slogans. Renowned for their insidious intentions, these stickers often target potentially vulnerable populations, like children and young people, as seen in a recent case where stickers with razor blades were found in a schoolyard in Dortmund-Hombruch.
The content of the stickers accompanying razor blades covers a broad spectrum of extremist beliefs, ranging from militarism glorification to Islamophobia, anti-vaccination slogans, deportation fantasies, and anti-Semitism. These violent sentiments are frequently associated with the extremist movement "Identitarian Movement." Last year, a sticker with a picture of the AfD politician Karsten Hilse was discovered in Saxon Kamenz, also equipped with razor blades.
The Münster police urge vigilance against such stickers, emphasizing that they cannot check every sticker in the public space without a specific reason. However, upon discovering a suspicious sticker, they will thoroughly investigate the matter to ensure public safety and, if necessary, initiate criminal proceedings.
Such malicious behavior does not go unnoticed. Peters cautions that these actions represent an escalation of public discourse, constituting another example of right-wing violence intensifying and perpetrators feeling emboldened. He encourages the reporting of such stickers to organizations like mobim or BackUp NRW and raising public awareness to prevent these incidents from going unnoticed.
In December 2023, a KI-generated image sticker of puppy dogs spelling out "FCK AFD" with hidden razor blades surfaced in Lüdenscheid. While it remains unclear whether this sticker was placed by anti-AFD activists or right-wing extremists as a smear campaign, the investigation is ongoing according to the police presidency in Hagen.
Editor's Note:Michael Bührke is an editor and photographer at ALLES MÜNSTER. He focuses on environmental, health, and social issues, as well as natural sciences. A passionate cyclist, hiker, and amateur photographer, Michael is committed to bringing important stories to the forefront.
In the wake of incidents involving dangerous stickers with razor blades, it is crucial to prioritize vigilance and report any suspicious objects. Public safety should remain a top priority, and law enforcement agencies are working to investigate such occurrences to ensure the well-being of the community.
- The dark side of public adornments has transformed into a disturbing trend, as stickers with embedded razor blades are increasingly found in general-news headlines, often associated with right-wing political ideologies and extremist movements.
- It's alarming to see how these malicious stickers, prevalent in crime-and-justice discussions, are not only a threat to public safety but also a manifestation of spreading fear and hateful ideologies, targeting not only political opponents but also potentially vulnerable populations like children and young people.
