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Munich (dpa) - In Bavaria, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution is observing parts of the so-called lateral thinkers movement.
"The collective observation object records individuals and groups of people who call for violent actions against state institutions, against the state infrastructure or against state representatives, or who participate in such actions that are intended to significantly impair the functionality of the state," said Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) on Wednesday in the interior committee of the Bavarian state parliament in Munich.
Supporters of "lateral thinking" and offshoots of the movement have demonstrated in many cities against restrictions in the Corona crisis in recent months.
Neo-Nazis and so-called Reich citizens who can be recognized by flags and symbols also took part in the demonstrations.
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"Basically, the participants in so-called anti-corona demonstrations in Bavaria are very heterogeneous and have a wide variety of motives," said Herrmann.
Classic right-wing extremists and Reich citizens have so far only been noticed sporadically as participants and not as decisive actors in connection with the Corona protests in Bavaria.
"But you are definitely in the focus of the protection of the constitution."
In addition, the Bavarian State Office for the Protection of the Constitution is now intensively examining "whether there are extremist influences or efforts that endanger security in individual protest initiatives against corona restriction measures regardless of conventional right-wing extremists," said Herrmann.
The minister stressed that it was not about bothering every protester or critic.
"The point will be to take a look at a few people who call for violent resistance," said Herrmann.
Of course, in a democracy everyone has the opportunity to express themselves critically.
But there are actors in the movement who question the legitimacy of the democratically elected decision-makers and the rule of law as a whole.
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Herrmann went on to say that these activists see the state as an “unjust regime” and that the use of force is justified.
"That has nothing to do with legitimate protest, a reaction from the security authorities is the imperative here."
The activities are therefore to be classified as security-endangering anti-democratic efforts and thus an observation mandate of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
The interior ministers of the federal states have been discussing the observation of the lateral thinking movement for a long time.
In Baden-Württemberg, the "lateral thinking" movement that started in Stuttgart has been observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution there for months.
The group “lateral thinking 711” is something like the nucleus of the protest movement against the corona measures, which has long been active nationwide.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210317-99-857545 / 2