Mercedes with fake license plates: Reich citizen in Gotha!

Mercedes with fake license plates: Reich citizen in Gotha!

Gotha, Deutschland - In Gotha, a 49-year-old man was stopped with a Mercedes on Friday evening who was traveling with homemade license. Instead of the prescribed license plates, the unusual inscriptions "Mensch" and "Allodium" denied the mobile pedestal. As Bild.de reported to cooperate with the police, which ultimately led to the fact that Officials had to violently hit the window of the driver's door to get access to the vehicle. Further investigations showed that the vehicle was neither approved nor insured. There is a suspicion that the man may belong to the Reich Citizens' Movement.

The Reich Citizens' Movement is a heterogeneous accumulation of groups and individuals who reject the legitimacy of the modern Federal Republic of Germany. Instead, they dream of a German Empire within the borders from 1871 to 1918. This movement, which counts estimated 21,000 members in Germany, has been classified extremist and has repeatedly caused a sensation with criminal activities and violence in the past. According to Wikipedia , there are also conspiracy theories as well as anti -Jewish and racist views of their ideological repertoire.

A look at the background of the movement

One of the darkest chapters of the Reich Citizens' Movement led to arrests in December 2022, when 25 people were suspected of having planned a coup against the federal government. The connections of the movement to former members of the police and Bundeswehr are also worrying. As the federal prosecutor emphasizes, many of these groups are to be classified as terroristically, which underlines the need for stricter measures against them.

In recent years, the number of right -wing extremist crimes in Germany has increased dramatically. According to Constitutional protection , a total of 37,835 right-wing extremist crimes were registered in 2024, which represents an increase of 47.4 % compared to the previous year. A worrying trend that can also be observed in the right -wing extremist acts of violence: the number rose by 11.6 % to 1,281. The dangers that come from these groups are actually high and go beyond the combination of corona denials and imperial citizens.

social effects and reactions

In particular in the current time, topics such as migration and asylum are of central importance and are used by right -wing extremists to promote their own agenda. With 360 right -wing extremist demonstrations in 2024, the scene remains active, even if participation in right -wing extremist music events has decreased sharply. For a long time, these events were considered important meeting points and supports of the right -wing extremist identity. The decline could indicate that the movements are under pressure or have to adapt their strategies.

The events in Gotha are another example of the ongoing challenges that our society faces when it comes to dealing with extremist positions. In view of the behavior of the driver and the ideologies behind him, it becomes clear that elite and revisionist world views are resonance in a not inconsiderable part of the population. Adequate and determined measures are necessary to counteract these forces and to protect democratic society.