Graphic shows far-right crime figures and recent deadly attacks.
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POLITICS

German far-right crime sets record

By Duncan Mil

May 5, 2021 - Politically motivated crime is emerging as an issue ahead of Germany’s national elections in September, with offences surging to more than 44,600 and far-right criminality accounting for more than half.

Germany’s Interior Minister Horst Seehofer presented the official statistics for politically motivated crimes committed in 2020 on Tuesday (May 4).

Some 23,604 crimes were right-wing extremist, an increase of 5.7% over the previous year.

Violent crimes classified as political surged by nearly 20% year-on-year to 3,365 and included 11 murders and 13 attempted murders, Seehofer said.

Recent politically motivated murders include the shooting of nine people in two shisha bars by a racist gunman in the western city of Hanau and a knife attack by a Syrian man on a gay couple in Dresden, killing one person, Seehofer said.

Seehofer also pointed to an increase of 11% for crimes coming out of the extreme left-wing scene, noting, in particular, a 45% increase in uses of violence.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 05/05/2021; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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