Rail transport resumes in North Rhine-Westphalia - fresh crime scene discovered in Saxony-Anhalt
In a series of deliberate incidents, arson attacks on German railway cables in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt have caused significant disruption to rail traffic. The attacks, occurring within two days in early August 2025, are being treated as coordinated sabotage incidents.
The first set of attacks took place near Düsseldorf and Duisburg in western Germany on July 31 and August 1. These incidents severely affected rail traffic on the North-South axis, a vital corridor for long-distance and regional travel. A second set of attacks occurred shortly after in the east near Hohenmölsen in Saxony-Anhalt, targeting a freight rail line used for coal deliveries.
Initial investigations suggest that these cable fires were caused by arson, with the use of similar incendiary devices in the western attacks. The police in North Rhine-Westphalia are assuming sabotage in relation to the arson attack in Düsseldorf and suspect left-wing extremists as the perpetrators. The state protection agency is investigating the arson attack in Düsseldorf.
One far-left extremist group, the anarchist "Angry Birds Kommando," has claimed responsibility for the initial attack in North Rhine-Westphalia. The group stated that the attack was to protest against the "system of destruction," highlighting a left-wing extremist environmental ideology.
The effects of the cable fires were felt by tens of thousands of travelers, including commuters and vacation travelers. Hundreds of trains were affected, leading to numerous cancellations and rerouting. The repair work, which lasted into the night, involved extensive work on five cables with a total length of around 100 meters.
Train traffic in North Rhine-Westphalia has resumed, but the effects of the attacks are still being felt. The authorities in NRW and the German Press Agency have confirmed that everything is running as it should at the railway stations in Düsseldorf and Duisburg. However, the authenticity of the statement from "Commando Angry Birds" is still being checked.
As of now, no information is provided about a further suspected crime scene in Saxony-Anhalt. The police in NRW are still investigating the arson attack in Düsseldorf, and the state protection agency is investigating the incident in Saxony-Anhalt.
[1] German Press Agency (DPA), "Arson attacks on German railway cables: Left-wing extremist group claims responsibility," DPA, August 2, 2025. [2] Deutsche Bahn, "Update on the arson attack on the railway cables in Düsseldorf," Deutsche Bahn press release, August 1, 2025. [3] North Rhine-Westphalia Police, "Investigation into the arson attack on the railway cables in Düsseldorf," North Rhine-Westphalia Police press release, August 1, 2025. [4] Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, "Update on the arson attacks on German railway cables," Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution press release, August 2, 2025.
- The coordinated sabotage incidents that involved arson attacks on railway cables in North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony-Anhalt in early August 2025 were not limited to the general-news domain; they also had significant implications for politics, as left-wing extremist groups such as the "Angry Birds Kommando" claimed responsibility for the attacks, citing a left-wing extremist environmental ideology.
- As the German Press Agency reported, these arson attacks not only disrupted crime-and-justice operations due to the severe impact on rail traffic but also had far-reaching consequences for the general public, with hundreds of trains affected and tens of thousands of travelers dealing with cancellations and rerouting.
