Raid against right-wing extremists in four federal states

On suspicion of founding a criminal association of alleged right-wing extremists, police have searched more than 30 properties in several federal states. The focus was in Brandenburg, especially in the Cottbus area.

A spokesman for the Brandenburg police also confirmed searches in Berlin, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Saxony. Earlier, the radio Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) reported. According to the spokesman, there were no arrests so far. "No arrest warrants were executed."

The suspicion is therefore based on the formation of a criminal organization and is directed against about 20 people from the hooligan, martial arts and right-wing extremist scene. "Basis are search warrants of the district court Cottbus", said the speaker. The task forces combed through from 5 o'clock in the morning offices, commercial spaces and apartments.

Searches should last until the afternoon

The deployment is expected to last until the afternoon. For the time being the speaker wanted to say nothing to possible results of the large and together with the state criminal police long planned action. He announced a press conference for Thursday.

"We have problems with right-wing extremism and the structures," said a spokesman for the city of Cottbus. Now, first the results of the searches should be evaluated.

From the point of view of the protection of the constitution, the Cottbus area is the "hotspot" of right-wing extremism in Brandenburg. "It is for us as a constitutional protection a toxic entity," said the head of the public relations department of the constitutional protection Brandenburg, Heiko Homburg, the beginning of the year the RBB.

The right-wing extremist potential lies in the Cottbus area with about 400 people, in Cottbus itself at 170, said intelligence chief Frank Nürnberger in February. The far-right scene is complex. They range from the rocker milieu to the bouncer scene to parts of the security industry. The economic basis for members of the scene are, for example, tattoo studios or shops that sell right-wing fashion labels or fitness supplements.