Reich citizens in Löcknitz: Convicted gun nut defends himself against the verdict

Reich citizens in Löcknitz: Convicted gun nut defends himself against the verdict

In recent weeks, a verdict against a self-proclaimed Reich citizen from Löcknitz has caused a stir. Dirk B. was sentenced to three years and ten months in prison at the beginning of July after violating the weapons law. This is reported by the Northern Courier. The 56-year-old, who is considered “dangerous” in his home community and has been monitored by the authorities for years, has already filed an appeal against the verdict because he does not recognize the jurisdiction of the court.

The allegations against him are serious: He was convicted of illegally purchasing war weapons and handling explosive substances, as well as threatening a bailiff, who, after this experience, has fears that affect his family. During searches of his properties in 2020, only two weapons and almost 6,000 rounds of ammunition were found, but Dirk B. purchased a total of 37 so-called “demilitarized weapons” from the Internet.

A controversial displacer of the state order

The Reich Citizens' Movement, to which Dirk B. belongs, is now perceived as a serious threat to public safety. In particular, an incident in which a police officer was killed contributed to this change in assessment. This movement attracts various far-right and conspiracy theory views. Many of its supporters do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany as a legitimate state and claim that the Basic Law is merely a continuation of military actions by the “German Reich”, such as the Federal Agency for Civic Education explained.

Dirk B. headed the “National Alliance Löcknitz”, which had built a large event hall in a garage complex. The alliance is accused of propagating a dangerous ideology and even planning violent actions. The authorities closed the alliance's meeting point to prevent possible terrorist planning.

Prospects and legal framework conditions

Dirk B.'s conviction is not yet legally binding. The convicted person and his new defense attorney have the opportunity to appeal or revise, which further complicates the legal situation. Regardless, his case raises serious questions: What about the reliability of gun owners in the Reich Citizens' Movement? The Law Academy reports that people from this environment are often classified as unreliable because they do not recognize the essential foundations of the democratic order. An example would be a plaintiff from Berlin whose gun ownership card was revoked because of his membership in the Reichsbürger scene.

Reporting on such cases makes it clear that security authorities are on the rise, but major challenges remain. The Reich Citizens' Movement keeps society on tenterhooks and leads to an unstable security situation. It is therefore to be hoped that the judiciary will take decisive action against such movements in the next few weeks and protect society from potential violence.