Attack on cars: protest against the Identitarian movement in Chemnitz

Attack on cars: protest against the Identitarian movement in Chemnitz

On the night of August 10, 2025, two cars were rendered unusable with butyric acid by members of the Chemnitz Identitarian Movement. The vehicles affected are Tony Kraft and Artur Finn Thum, who are actively involved in the right-wing extremist scene. While Tony Kraft got the butyric acid into the car through the rubber seal on the door, Artur Thum had a window broken and the car was also treated with the corrosive substance. These actions are part of a broader resistance against the increasingly aggressive structures of the Identitarian Movement, which has gained a foothold not only in Chemnitz but also beyond the city limits, as Indymedia reports.

In the heart of Chemnitz is the “Centre Chemnitz”, a real estate project of the Identitarian Movement that serves as a gathering point for neo-Nazi activities. This property was announced on social media at the end of November 2022 as a “center for counterculture and activism” and will be used for events such as regulars' tables and book launches. Proof of the devastating spread of right-wing extremist structures is the fact that the Identitarian Movement is already in control of the fourth property of this kind in the city. At the inauguration ceremony in November 2023, more than 50 people gathered, including AfD member of the Bundestag Roger Beckamp, ​​who welcomed a new generation of neo-Nazis, as Die Zeit reported.

Growing right-wing extremist potential

The development in Chemnitz and elsewhere is related to a general increase in right-wing extremist potential in Germany. According to the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, there will be over 50,000 people at the end of 2024, with the number of violent right-wing extremists rising to around 15,300. This is a worrying trend that is being reinforced by the expansion of right-wing extremist activities and the associated violence. In particular, the number of right-wing extremist acts of violence has reached a significant increase of 47.4% compared to the previous year, as the Office for the Protection of the Constitution confirms.

A worrying example is the increasing aggression against asylum accommodation and the repeated instrumentalization of social issues by right-wing extremists who propagate anti-migrant and anti-Semitic positions. In Chemnitz there are efforts to form a broad alliance that will counteract these dangerous developments, similar to the resistance in Halle an der Saale, which has resulted in setbacks for the Identitarian movement in the past.

Resistance against fascist structures

Resistance to fascist activities is more important than ever. Despite the fear of repression that often accompanies such actions, the call for action remains loud. It is necessary to continue the fight against the Identitarian Movement and the AfD and to ensure that the right-wing extremist ideology does not find room to develop. The events surrounding the attacks on Kraft and Thum are part of this broader debate and illustrate the urgency of actively intervening in the relationships between different social groups.

In a climate where right-wing extremist ideologies are becoming socially acceptable, solidarity and active action are essential. Only through community engagement and the formation of broad alliances can the right-wing structures be effectively challenged.