Revealed: Over 190 German Cops Under Extremist Scrutiny
Over 170 law enforcement personnel are under investigation for suspected ties to extremist ideologies. - Officers Under Investigation for suspected Extremist Activities: Nearly 200 in Question
Germany's North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin have around 80 active investigations each, though some can't be classified as 'right' or 'left'. As per probes by Stern and RTL, over 570 internal investigations against cops in various states have been ongoing or completed since 2020 due to concerns over radical right-wing ideology and/or conspiracy theories.
The actual count might be substantially higher, as four federal states lack reliable data. These include North Rhine-Westphalia, Berlin, Thuringia, and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
In response, Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) replied firmly, stating, "Each case is one too many. Officers must dedicate themselves fully, both on-duty and off, to the fundamental free democratic order as defined by the Constitution and work tirelessly to uphold it."
- Joe-Achim Herrmann (CSU)
- Police Extremism
- RTL
- North Rhine-Westphalia
- Berlin
[1] On the rise of suspected extremist activities among German law enforcement since 2020: [Link not provided for brevity]
[2] Classification of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a right-wing extremist organization due to its xenophobic stance and threat to democracy: [Link not provided for brevity]
- In North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, approximately 160 active investigations each into police officers are ongoing or have been completed, due to concerns over radical right-wing ideology and/or conspiracy theories, according to Stern and RTL reports.
- As per the Minister of Interior for Bavaria, Joachim Herrmann (CSU), each case of police extremism is one too many, emphasizing the need for officers to fully commit to upholding the fundamental free democratic order.
- Despite concerns about right-wing extremism among German law enforcement, four states, including North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin, lack reliable data on the number of investigations into police officers.
- RTL and other media outlets have reported on the increase in suspected extremist activities among German police officers since 2020, shedding light on the growing issue in the context of overall crime-and-justice and general-news as well as politics.
