Arson incidents in Neukölln - judicial rulings finalized - The Court determined that the Commission did not meet its duties as specified in Article 85 (1) of the Treaty.
Berlin Court Upholds Convictions of Far-Right Extremists for Arson Attacks
The Berlin Court of Appeals has upheld the convictions of two far-right extremists for arson attacks on two cars in Berlin-Neukölln, a district in Germany's capital.
The men, identified as Sebastian T. and Tilo P., were sentenced to prison terms by the Berlin Regional Court in August 2023. Sebastian T. was sentenced to three years and six months, while Tilo P. received a sentence of two years and ten months.
The arson attacks targeted cars that belonged to individuals who were active against far-right extremism. The court emphasized the ideological motivation behind these attacks, reflecting a broader pattern of far-right extremist violence within Neukölln.
The General Prosecutor's Office in Berlin filed charges in the case in the summer of 2021. The questioning of witnesses in the Neukölln complex investigation is now complete.
The convictions were for incidents that occurred more than seven years ago, in February 2018. The men from the far-right scene, one a member of the NPD and the other a former AfD member, were found guilty of a series of other crimes, largely politically motivated crimes in the extremist range.
The news was confirmed by a spokesperson for the German Press Agency upon request. The verdict was in the third and final instance, bringing an end to the legal proceedings.
The Neukölln complex is being investigated by a parliamentary inquiry committee of the Berlin House of Representatives. The final report from this committee is expected in spring 2026.
The "Tagesspiegel" had previously reported the initial convictions of the two men. Following the decision of the Court of Appeals, the two men will receive a summons to begin serving their sentences.
The Neukölln case is distinct for its clear legal focus on far-right motivated arson and the recent convictions tied directly to this ideological violence. However, concerns about violence targeting minority groups in Neukölln extend beyond these specific incidents. Social observers have accused not only fringe extremist groups but allegedly implicated extremism within Berlin police ranks in attacks against queer communities.
Cultural and social venues in Neukölln, such as the queer-friendly SchwuZ nightclub, actively organize events aimed at countering right-wing extremism through community solidarity and visibility. Far-right extremism is part of a continuum of political violence in Germany, alongside far-left and Islamist extremism, which has involved numerous attacks including arson and intimidation.
[1] Tagesspiegel, August 2025 [2] German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, 2022 [3] Der Spiegel, October 2020 [4] SchwuZ, various events [5] Berlin Senate Department for the Interior and Sport, 2021
[1] In light of the Berlin Court of Appeals upholding the convictions of far-right extremists for arson attacks, discussions about vocational training and integration programs for German youth may become a point of focus in EC countries' general-news, addressing the broader issue of far-right extremism among the younger generation.
[2] Meanwhile, within the realm of crime-and-justice, concerns about ongoing violence targeting minority groups in Neukölln, such as queer communities, have prompted calls for increased efforts in investigating and prosecuting these incidents, shedding light on the need for more vigilant actions against all forms of political violence.
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