Masked people attack a protest against right-wing extremism in Bad Freienwalde

Masked people attack a protest against right-wing extremism in Bad Freienwalde

In Bad Freienwalde, a small town in Brandenburg, a peaceful event under the motto “For a colorful Bad Freienwalde” was attacked by a group of 10 to 15 masked people at around 12 p.m. today. The perpetrators, some possibly teenagers or young adults, were equipped with striking tools, including wooden sticks, shocking the participants, including members of the queer community.

How Mercury Reportedly, at least two people were slightly injured in the attack, which is believed to be politically motivated. Despite the presence of police forces in advance of the event, they were unable to prevent the attack because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. The perpetrators fled before the police arrived and could not be arrested.

Event dedicated to diversity

The event “For a colorful Bad Freienwalde” was organized by the “Bad Freienwalde stays colorful” initiative and was intended to set an example against the shift to the right, hatred and agitation. Plans included a children's program, live music and a graffiti workshop. However, there were also disruptions in advance: around 40 posters that were supposed to advertise the event were torn down and stolen. The police were initially unable to confirm these incidents, but the context is clear: Bad Freienwalde is considered a meeting place for the right-wing scene, as the 2023 Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution shows, and the population is around 12,000.

Interior Minister René Wilke (independent) strongly condemned the attack and spoke to those affected to get an idea of ​​the situation. The police have now started investigations into dangerous bodily harm and violations of the assembly law and are asking for information from witnesses.

A threatening climate for diversity

This event highlights an alarming trend: increase in right-wing extremist crimes and violence in Germany. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there are around 32,000 people with right-wing extremist views, of which around 13,000 are classified as violent. This development also appears to threaten public safety, as demonstrated not only by today's attack, but also by previous incidents in which people have been targeted because of their identity. One example is the right-wing extremist attack in Hanau in 2020, in which nine people died.

Society is faced with the challenge of resisting these tendencies and creating an environment in which diversity is valued. Initiatives like “Bad Freienwalde remains colorful” are an important part of this fight. But despite broad support, there are always unfortunate incidents that show that the fight against right-wing extremism and for tolerance is far from over.