Radical Attack on SPD Activists in Berlin: Perpetrators Given Prison Sentences
Berlin Court Handed Partial Imprisonment Sentences for Right-wing Perpetrators in Assault on SPD Campaigner - Right-wing assailants sentenced for assaulting SPD candidates in Berlin court
In a crackdown on right-wing extremism, a group of rowdy young men were sentenced for their brutal attack on Social Democratic Party (SPD) campaigners in Berlin.
The verdict came down on June 20, 2025, at the Berlin-Tiergarten Local Court, with the following sentences:- A 19-year-old received a juvenile term of two years and eight months.- A 20-year-old was given a juvenile sentence of two and a half years.- Another 17-year-old got a juvenile sentence of one year and nine months.- A second 20-year-old received a juvenile sentence of two years, with the decision on suspending the sentence for probation deferred for six months.
This means the two 20-year-olds will remain at large until the court revisits their cases after the pre-probation period. The 17-year-old and his 19-year-old brother have been in pre-trial detention since the incident. One of the 20-year-olds was at large during the same period.
The quartet had embarked on a trip from Saxony-Anhalt to Berlin on December 14, 2024, to participate in a far-right rally. They were ejected from the train before reaching their destination and ended up in Berlin-Lichterfelde. There, they encountered two SPD members at a bus stop, who were returning from a local election campaign.
According to the court, the attackers targeted the SPD members due to their political affiliation. They launched an unprovoked assault, punching and kicking the victims while also using racist slurs. The male victim suffered severe injuries and required hospitalization. His glasses were broken during the scuffle.
The attack did not end there. In the ensuing physical altercation with law enforcement officers, the assailants also caused damage to property and assaulted officers. Thus, they were found guilty of assaulting law enforcement officials, resisting arrest, making offensive remarks, and property damage.
The prosecution demanded more severe sentences, arguing that the attackers acted with brutality and showed no remorse for their actions. However, the defense pleaded for leniency due to the challenging family backgrounds of some of the perpetrators.
Overall, the recent attack highlights the ongoing issue of political violence in Germany, with far-right extremists targeting political opponents in violent and unwarranted attacks. Stay tuned for more updates as this story continues to unfold.
- Berlin
- SPD
- Men
- Kaltenbach
- Assault
- Berlin-Tiergarten Local Court
- Saxony-Anhalt
[1] Source: Berlin-Tiergarten Local Court Judgment on Right-wing Attack on SPD Campaigners, 2025[2] Source: Germany's Struggle with Far-right Extremism and Political Violence, The Guardian, 2024[3] Source: Rising Tide of Far-right Violence in Germany, DW, 2023[4] Source: The Dark Reality of Right-wing Extremism in Today's Germany, Vice News, 2022
In the wake of the sentencing, the Berlin-Tiergarten Local Court's verdict underscores the seriousness of political violence in Germany, particularly within the context of far-right extremism. This case, involving the assault on SPD campaigners by a group of young men, further highlights the intersection of community law, politics, and general-news, as well as the increasing concern over crime-and-justice issues.
