Neo-Nazi attack on diversity festival in Bad Freienwalde shocks citizens!

Neo-Nazi attack on diversity festival in Bad Freienwalde shocks citizens!

An incident that caused a stir in Bad Freienwalde happened last Sunday during the diversity festival. At the event, which had the motto “Bad Freienwalde is Colorful”, there was a violent attack on participants. Two people were injured. The police have a 21-year-old suspect from Bliesdorf in the Barnim-Oderbruch district in their sights. The man is a member of the neo-Nazi party “The Third Way” and is suspected of having attacked the event with batons along with other masked people. He is said to have tried to disrupt the festival last year, which only exacerbated the tense situation in the region. According to Team, the incident is an alarming example of increasing right-wing extremism.

Brandenburg's Interior Minister René Wilke strongly condemned the attack and stated that violence against people who organize or take part in a family and children's festival is completely unacceptable. This is not just an isolated incident; Concerns about the willingness of right-wing extremists to commit violence are in the air, which is confirmed by the latest investigations and the increasing number of right-wing extremist crimes in Germany. According to a report by RBB, Bad Freienwalde is now a meeting place for the right-wing scene, which was also evident in the last upcoming elections, when over 40% of voters voted for the AfD.

Growing concern about right-wing extremist violence

The mayor of Bad Freienwalde, Ralf Lehmann, described the attack as a “disruption to the event” and called for more civic engagement and a serious risk assessment by the police. Organizer Judith Strohm also emphasized that clearer measures are needed to prevent such incidents in the future. There was a police presence, but reinforcements only arrived after the violence became known. A member of the “We'll tackle it” club was seriously injured while trying to stop an attacker.

The advice center for victims of right-wing violence reports on a new generation of neo-Nazis in the region and confirms that such incidents are no longer just isolated cases, but are part of a worrying trend. Far-right extremism has increased enormously in recent years. As Verfassungsschutz states, the potential number of violent right-wing extremists is already around 15,300 people - a worrying increase. In addition, over 37,000 right-wing extremist crimes were recorded in 2024, representing an increase of 47.4% compared to the previous year.

A closer-knit image of society

The incidents in Bad Freienwalde are not isolated; Many experts warn against a normalization of right-wing extremist agitation, which is particularly directed against diversity and openness. Lorenz Blumentaler from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation emphasizes the need to protect such events. The last survey made it clear that topics such as asylum and migration as well as anti-queer sentiment are increasingly becoming the focus of right-wing extremist propaganda. In this context, cohesion of a democratic society is necessary. Jann Jakobs from the “Brandenburg shows attitude” alliance appeals that standing together against such attacks is essential.

This incident in Bad Freienwalde should be seen as a wake-up call: active civil society and political determination are needed to decisively counter right-wing extremist prejudices and violence.