It comes as no surprise that the Hessian security authorities have joined the warning chord that this autumn will probably be a phase of social division that has not existed for a long time.

The term "hot autumn" is used to describe the protests that are already beginning in Leipzig, for example: demonstrations against the energy crisis, and soon probably also against inflation.

The fact that people take to the streets is not the problem.

But it is a problem when extremists infiltrate the protests in order to attack the state.

If the Hessian Minister of the Interior Peter Beuth (CDU) focuses on recognizing such tendencies early on and countering them by explaining the dangers, that is the only right way.

Beware of extremism

In the end, it will be a matter of not allowing the masses to be influenced by extremists.

One can only hope that the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in Hesse is more attentive than in previous years.

There has never been a lack of will in the Wiesbaden authority to fight extremism, from whatever side.

But at least for right-wing extremism, this has only been achieved to a very modest extent.

With the murder of Walter Lübcke and the attack in Hanau, Hesse has had two examples in recent years that have shown how anchored right-wing extremist ideas are in society.

The Office for the Protection of the Constitution had neither of the two assassins on the screen.

It is important to learn from this.

It will be up to the police to catch the protests on the streets.

If the development is anything like what it was at the beginning of the "lateral thinker" demonstrations, the officials will have plenty to do.

Ensuring everyone's freedom of expression and assembly while maintaining public safety and order becomes an increasingly difficult balancing act the more radical the protests become.

Demonstrators and officials may not only have to deal with right-wing extremists.

On the other side is the extremist left.

The citizen, who really cares about the matter, threatens to get caught between fronts that nobody likes.