German Police Union Slams Citizen Militias, Views Them as a Threat to Internal Security
Merz expresses skepticism towards the Bürgerwehr in Germany.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz maintains citizen militias similar to those forming in the Netherlands to conduct independent border controls are unlikely in Germany, and if they did, such actions would be illegal. The Police Union, however, sees this development as a cause for concern.
Jochen Kopelke, the federal chairman of the Police Union (GdP), fears that citizen militias and private border controls, despite causing tension among European neighbors, could become more common. Kopelke believes that Germany's extensive border controls and the Schengen system are currently under threat. He points out that similar citizen militias have already emerged in Poland and Belgium, and it's only a matter of time before they surface in Germany.
The head of the federal police department in the GdP, Andreas Rosskopf, shares Kopelke's concern. Rosskopf advises against relying on citizen militias, as such initiatives could potentially lead to heightened aggression. The Police Union finds accepting these groups dangerous not only for internal security but also for the trust in the sovereign rule of law.
Recent border disputes have raised concerns for Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt. The increased staffing he put in place to combat illegal border crossings resulted in only 160 additional rejections in four weeks. Smuggling gangs may have adapted to the new measures, leading migrants to avoid main roads and use smaller paths to cross the border.
Although Merz and Dobrindt dismiss the idea of citizen militias in Germany, the German Police Union warns that such groups could pose a significant threat to peace and order.
- Friedrich Merz
- Alexander Dobrindt
- Border Controls
- Citizen Militias
- Internal Security
- German Police Union
- Netherlands
- European Union
Additional Insights:
- While there is no official support for citizen militias from German authorities, extremist groups such as the Reichsbürger movement have attempted to create armed militias in the past [5].
- Germany's approach to border control and security primarily involves professional law enforcement agencies, such as the Federal Police, rather than relying on citizen militias.
The German Police Union, led by Jochen Kopelke and Andreas Rosskopf, has expressed concerns about the potential rise of citizen militias in Germany, following their emergence in neighboring countries like Poland and Belgium. They believe these groups could pose a significant threat to internal security and peace.
Despite the German Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, asserting that citizen militias are unlikely in Germany and would be illegal, the union cautions that such groups could undermine trust in the sovereign rule of law and potentially lead to heightened aggression.
