Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK

POLICE

Germany reports hundreds of suspected cases of far-right extremism in police forces

Right-wing extremism is not a systemic problem in the German police despite hundreds of examples documented in a new report, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said Tuesday.

Published: 6 October 2020 13:33 CEST
Germany reports hundreds of suspected cases of far-right extremism in police forces
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Tuesday. Photo: DPA

The much-anticipated report, compiled by the BfV domestic intelligence agency, identified 377 suspected cases of far-right extremism in the German police and intelligence services between January 2017 and March 2020.

It follows a string of scandals in Germany in recent months over far-right networks in the police and military, with pressure mounting on the government to address the issue.

“We are dealing with a small number of cases,” Seehofer said at a press conference to introduce the report, stressing that more than 99 percent of the police respect the constitution and have no connection to extremism.

“We have no structural problem with right-wing extremism in the state and federal security services,” Seehofer said.

'Every case is a disgrace'

However, he added that “every proven case is a disgrace” given the role played by the police and security forces in setting an example for the public.

Around 300,000 members of the security forces were asked to fill out anonymous questionnaires for the report in the hope of breaking what unions and experts have called a culture of silence.

The report identified 319 suspected cases of right-wing extremism in Germany's state police forces, as well as 58 at the federal level, including 44 in the federal police.

But Dieter Romann, the head of the federal police, also said Tuesday there is “no right-wing extremist network within the federal police”.

READ ALSO: Germany set to present report on far-right extremism in police

Several regional German police forces have been caught up in far-right scandals in recent months, and a unit of the country's elite KSK commando force was dissolved in July over neo-Nazi allegations.

The German government had previously refused to carry out a full investigation into extremism as it feared tarnishing the reputation of the police and intelligence services, instead favouring a case-by-case approach.

But in a change of stance last week, Seehofer said the government would take a “rigorous” approach and “not cover anything up”.

The Social Democrats, the junior partner in Angela Merkel's coalition government, have repeatedly demanded action, and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier called in September for a “more resolute” fight against right-wing
extremism.

Germany has been hit by a string of far-right attacks over the last 18 months, leading to Seehofer naming far-right extremism the “biggest security threat facing Germany”.

But at the same time, evidence has mounted of far-right extremism within the police, security forces and military.

Links between the far right and the police are suggested by the makeup of the Bundestag lower house of parliament, where five of the far-right AfD party's 89 MPs are police officers – the highest number of any party.

By Mathieu Foulkes and Femke Colborne

Member comments

  1. When I visited Germany in 2017 I remember very well the way the policeman in charge with checking passports stared at me and my family. This was the welcome reception we tourists have. He stared with disgust to me and my family with no intention to hide it. I think he would harm us if he could. It was pure evilness in his eyes. When I read this I remembered every moment of this situation my wife, my 9 years old kid and me had to face. I do believe you have police involved with far right. Im from Brazil and will someday return to visit this beautiful country despite this disgraceful situation.

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

POLICE

READER QUESTION: What powers do police have on the street in Denmark?

Police in Denmark can only stop and search members of the public without cause under special circumstances. What are the rules that apply?

Published: 9 September 2024 17:38 CEST
READER QUESTION: What powers do police have on the street in Denmark?

Copenhagen Police said last week that they had confiscated more than 20 knives in just under a month as a result of around 830 people being checked for weapons in special visitationszoner or “stop-and-search” zones.

Denmark’s laws allow these zones to be established by law authorities for a limited period in response to violent crime. They mean police officers can stop people on the streets or in cars and check if they are carrying weapons without having to give any cause.

READ ALSO: Danish police search 830 people in Copenhagen in less than a month

The Local was contacted by a reader who asked what police “may and may not do” in Denmark.

“For example, can they ask for ID, question you on the street, search you? Can people video in a public place?”, they wrote.

Asking for ID

Police don’t have the right to demand ID, but can ask for your name, address and date of birth, in accordance with paragraph 750 of Denmark’s Retsplejeloven or policing laws. You do not have to give your full CPR (personal registration) number if you have one, although you might be asked for it and see no reason not to give it.

If someone refuses to provide this basic information to the police or provides false information, they can be fined or punished.

It’s worth noting, though, that foreign residents of Denmark who have an opholdskort or residence card are technically required to carry it with them at all times.

READ ALSO: Can you travel in and out of Denmark if you lose your residence card?

The police can question members of the public, but individuals are not required to provide any statements, and no force can be used to compel someone to speak or answer questions. 

Searching

Police can search a person or their vehicle if they have “reasonable suspicion” that the person may have broken the law. They can only conduct a search without any cause if they are in a designated search area (visitationszone) as described above.

In non-visitationszoner, police need reasonable grounds to conduct a search. This can include visible illegal activity, smell of drugs, acting suspiciously or being in a location where drugs or weapons are known to be circulating.

Police may also search your vehicle if they suspect it contains illegal items, such as weapons or drugs, or if the vehicle is involved in a crime.

Detainment

Police in Denmark have the authority to detain individuals for questioning if they suspect the person has committed a crime. Detention without formal charges must be reviewed by a court (known as a grundlovsforhør) within 24 hours.

Police can issue on-the-spot fines for minor offences such as traffic violations and public disturbances, but must follow up with court procedure for serious matters.

All searches conducted by police must be recorded, as must preliminary charges (termed sigtelser), which mean you are under police suspicion. These preliminary charges, which police can give if they have “reasonable grounds” to suspect you have broken the law, enable them to carry out a search as described above.

You are not obliged by law to respond to police questions during these initial searches and proceedings. Once arrested, the police must inform you of your rights, which include the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer.

Police must record searches and initial charges including the time and circumstances of the interaction, allowing a member of the public to later file a complaint if they believe police did not act correctly.

Video recording in public spaces

Members of the public have the right to film or photograph in public spaces, including police officers, as long as they do not interfere with police work. Denmark does not have laws that prohibit filming law enforcement as long as the filming does not obstruct the officers in their duties.

If police deem that filming obstructs their work or invades the privacy of others, they can ask individuals to stop. Recording police actions from a distance without interference should generally be allowed.

In 2021, Copenhagen Police commented after media reported, based on video evidence, that some officers had threatened members of the public with being arrested if they filmed them.

“Based on the recordings presented to us, we have decided to clarify the rules on this area to all employees. As a starting point, there is no basis for charging a person who is passively filming… a police officer on duty,” Copenhagen Police told newspaper Berlingske.

Complaints

Members of the public can file complaints with the independent Police Complaints Authority (Den Uafhængige Politiklagemyndighed) if they believe the police have misused their power or acted unlawfully. You should provide a case number when filing the complaint, if you have one.

Complaints can also be filed at local police stations.

As a member of the public, you have the right to complain about both the conduct of the police and the basis on which they took their decisions – meaning, for example, how they may have justified carrying out a search. In the later case, the complaint may mean you believe a police officer has broken the law.

The Police Complaints Authority handles the case differently depending on whether it relates to a conduct issue or a potential criminal act.

Are there any further questions relating to this article you’d like us to answer? Let us know in the comments.

SHOW COMMENTS