Left-wing extremists are behind nearly all recent attacks on infrastructure and businesses in Bavaria, newly released state data show. Figures provided to lawmakers link far-left actors to 243 of 263 infrastructure attacks and 447 of 465 offences against the economy between 2019 and 2024.
Annual figures show a sharp increase in attacks: 34 cases in 2019 surged to 190 incidents in 2023, with 125 directly linked to left-wing extremism. Arson and explosives offenses also surged, with 27 incidents in 2023, including 16 targeting infrastructure. Property damage remains the most common offense, with 242 left-wing-motivated cases targeting infrastructure and commercial sectors alike.
Munich remains the hotspot, with peaks of 1,337 incidents in 2021 and 458 in 2024, followed by Nuremberg and Augsburg.
AfD spokesperson Richard Graupner warned that Bavaria’s economy and strategic assets are under attack: “The Bavarian state government’s responses clearly demonstrate that the greatest threat to the Bavarian economy and our strategic infrastructure comes from left-wing extremists…”
“Politicians must stop downplaying or ignoring the problem and finally take decisive action against left-wing extremist violence,” he added
Across Europe, recent incidents highlight the rise in leftist violence. Italian MEP Ilaria Salis—linked to the Antifa-associated Hammer Gang—avoided trial in Hungary after the European Parliament voted to maintain her immunity on October 7th, 2025. Salis had been arrested in 2023 for alleged involvement in the Budapest attacks, but her parliamentary immunity shielded her from prosecution, sparking criticism from figures like Italian Lega MEP Isabella Tovaglieri, who called it “a terrible image for the European Union.”
In Germany, the Thurn und Taxis hunting lodge near Regensburg was destroyed by fire in October, causing around €4 million in damage. Antifa-linked extremists claimed responsibility via Indymedia, a far-left online platform, framing the attack as a “warning” to Dowager Princess Gloria of Thurn und Taxis.
Across Europe, left-wing extremists linked to Antifa have increasingly targeted conservative politicians, think tanks, and businesses. In Brussels, activists have repeatedly attacked venues hosting conferences by the conservative MCC Brussels think tank, daubing graffiti and attempting to shut down debates through threats and violence.
In response to rising far-left violence, President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to classify Antifa as a foreign terrorist organization, citing nearly a decade of escalating attacks. Hungary and the Netherlands have announced plans to consider similar designations.
