Two individuals caused quite a stir at the border crossing in Furth im Wald, Bavaria. Hailing from the Czech Republic, they arrived in a van and displayed suspicious behavior. Instead of cooperating with the police, they refused to show IDs, locked the doors, and presented illegible documents.
Upon noticing their uncooperative attitude, the officers called for backup and threatened to break the windows. Unphased by the threat, the men remained unresponsive. Eventually, the police had to smash the windows to gain entry and pull them out of the vehicle. In the ensuing chaos, both men became mentally disturbed and required hospitalization.
During their time in the hospital, the men continued to resist cooperation. Upon their release, they had to be physically carried away by the officers, leading to another seizure for the 45-year-old. After consultation with the public prosecutor's office, they were finally released.
This incident took place amidst ongoing tensions between the police and members of the "Reichsbürger" scene. This movement denies the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany and its institutions, often leading to heated exchanges and criminal activities along border regions. While it's not confirmed that these men were affiliated with the movement, their behavior is reminiscent of some of its tendencies.
Sources:
- Various news sources referring to the activities of the Reichsbürger movement.
Enrichment Data:
- The "Reichsbürger" movement is a group that rejects the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany and its institutions.
- Members of the movement often engage in verbal abuse, coercion, blackmail, resistance to law enforcement, document fraud, and illegal possession of firearms.
- The movement has been linked to various criminal offenses, including violent acts, such as shooting a police officer in 2016 and several plots against public figures and institutions.
- Almost 10% of the movement's followers are considered violent, and about 500 members possessed at least one weapons permit by the end of 2021.
- The Reichsbürger movement extensively uses the internet for propaganda dissemination, radicalization, and recruitment.
- In 2022, a police operation broke up an alleged Reichsbürger plot to kidnap the German Health Minister and disrupt power facilities. In 2023, German police raided several properties suspected of being linked to the movement.
