Thousands of people demonstrated today in Dresden and Berlin against violence, after the attack on Friday night in Saxony by the MEP of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) Matthias Eke. On Tuesday, an emergency conference of the federal and state governments will take place on measures to protect politicians in the run-up to the European elections and the upcoming state elections in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg.
According to the police, a 17-year-old surrendered at dawn to a Dresden police station, confessing to the attack on the MEP. However, his testimony is being checked, while more people are being sought, as it is believed that four young people, aged 17-20, participated in the attack. The same group is believed to be responsible for the attack and wounding of a worker at a Greens poster-gluing workshop in the same area. Eyewitnesses placed the young men on the extreme right. Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster called on the attackers to surrender, stressing that “violent attacks against politicians and against the foundations of our democracy and the conduct of free elections will not be tolerated.” Saxony’s SPD also reported that its officials were receiving threats and insults, and that party posters and election materials were being systematically destroyed.
41-year-old Matias Eke suffered a fractured cheekbone and eye socket and facial hematomas and underwent surgery earlier. “Given the circumstances, he is fine,” said the head of the SPD’s organization in Saxony, Henning Hohmann, noting that Mr Eke plans to return to campaigning after his recovery. Mr. Henning also thanked for the solidarity expressed by other parties. “We strengthen and support each other. It is remarkable that the democratic spectrum is becoming more coherent,” he added. The attack was condemned, among others, by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Chancellor Olaf Solz, who spoke of a “threat to democracy, against which we cannot simply shrug our shoulders indifferently”.
The incidents in Dresden seem, however, to be only a part of the corresponding incidents which have recently been increasing at the federal level. Last Thursday, after a Greens event in Hesse, federal MP Kai Göring and party leader Rolf Fliess reported being attacked. The second even testified that he was beaten. A few days earlier Bundestag Vice President Kartin Göring-Eckart (Greens) was seriously harassed at an event in Brandenburg and a group of people prevented her from leaving. Also according to the police, a member of the Alternative for Germany in the state parliament of Lower Saxony was beaten on the sidelines of an election event.
Police statistics are indicative of the worsening situation: in 2023, 1219 cases of violence against politicians and parties were recorded, compared to just 575 in 2022. The Greens are most often targeted, followed by the AfD and the SPD.
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