Steinmeier calls for a conversation after an attack on a variety of festivals in Bad Freienwalde

Steinmeier calls for a conversation after an attack on a variety of festivals in Bad Freienwalde

A violent incident in Bad Freienwalde has mastered the headlines and re -laid out the discussion about the protection of diversity and tolerance. On June 19, 2025, the variety of "Bad Freienwalde is colorful" was attacked by a group of partly hooded attackers. According to Tagesspiegel at least two people were slightly injured.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has now commented on the incident and emphasized the importance of social exchange. "Different views have to be held in conversation to prevent radicalization and violence," said Steinmeier during his visit to a family center in Rehfelde in the Märkisch-Oderland district. He underlined that such incidents such as the attack in Bad Freienwalde may not be repeated in the future, and appealed to everyone who was not solely on the municipalities.

Investigations after the attack

After the attack, the police in the Märkisch-Oderland district took immediate measures. Searches took place on Thursday after the attack to learn more about the background. A suspect, a 21-year-old man from the Oderbruch, was identified and apparently joins the neo-Nazi small party "The Third Way", which, according to her constitutional protection report, has around 70 members. This group has already attacked similar events in the past and is suspected of having worked on a disturbance of diversity, while the state investigations are underway due to the severe national fracture and assault. Despite the serious allegations, no arrest warrant has been issued so far, and the suspect refused to testify, as the Tagesschau reported.

The reactions from politics are strong, with both Brandenburg's SPD parliamentary group leader Björn Lüttmann and the CDU parliamentary group leader Jan Redmann are demanding more protection for such events. The mayor of Bad Freienwalde, Ralf Lehmann, is particularly criticized, who described the attack as a "disorder" and thus put the extent of the aggression.

The entire social context

The events in Bad Freienwalde are an urgent wake -up call for society and politics to position themselves against violence and intolerance and to stand up for respectful coexistence. In times when it takes a lot of tolerance, the exchange between the different perspectives is of central importance.