Unable to steady the rise of the right-wing populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) through democratic means, extremist leftists are increasingly turning to violence.
Two party members were attacked on Sunday, October 5th in Göttingen by two women and three men who recognised them as belonging to the AfD, leaving the pair “slightly injured.” The five perpetrators—aged between 23 and 49—are being investigated on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. Author Kolja Barghoorn described the incident as proof that “Germany has a massive problem with far-left extremist violence.”
Sabine Beppler-Spahl, who writes for europeanconservative.com from Berlin, also pointed last week to left-wing violence being fuelled by mainstream ideology.
Reports on Monday also detailed the burning down of offices belonging to two AfD representatives in Munich, state parliament member René Dierkes and federal parliament member Tobias Teich. Police have not yet apprehended the perpetrator(s), who threw an incendiary device through the window, putting lives at risk.
In nur einer Woche erfolgten 2 Brandanschläge auf das Gebäude mit den AfD-Büros von mir und meinem Kollegen Tobias Teich in München.
Die Folgen sind verheerend. Die Schadenhöhe am Gebäude liegt im sechsstelligen Bereich.
Dierkes toldJunge Freiheit that “residents took photos of the perpetrator. It was clear that he was acting deliberately.”
I’m 100% certain there was a political motive.
Teich also spoke of the attack’s “devastating consequences,” estimating damage with a sum “in the six-figure range.” In a post online, he pointed the finger at “the terrorist Antifa” group in particular, though this has not been proved. Work is currently underway to get the body classified as a terror group across Europe.
The attacks follow others against party MPs and campaigners alike. They are also further proof that the U.S. is not alone in seeing a rise in left-wing violence. Across Europe, too, success on the right is clearly prompting violence on the extreme left.
Michael Curzon is a news writer for europeanconservative.com based in England’s Midlands. He is also Editor of Bournbrook Magazine, which he founded in 2019, and previously wrote for London’s Express Online. His Twitter handle is @MichaelCurzon_.
