Right-wing radical violence in Cologne: Attack on demonstrators shakes the city!

Right-wing radical violence in Cologne: Attack on demonstrators shakes the city!

The political mood in Cologne is tense and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. An incident that took place during a demonstration against an “AfD citizen dialogue” in Cologne-Kalk has heated up tempers. David, who was at his first demonstration, was hit on the way home by Felix Cassel, an AfD politician, and had to go to the hospital. This violent confrontation is a reminder of the worrying development of right-wing extremist violence that has increased sharply in Germany in recent years. According to the Statista A total of 3,453 cases of right-wing violence were registered in 2024 - a significant increase compared to just 1,347 cases five years earlier.

Heike Kleffner from the VBRG is concerned that many perpetrators refer positively to the AfD and that the violent acts against critical citizens that repeatedly make the headlines are linked to right-wing ideology. The Federal Criminal Police Office points out that of the 1,488 politically motivated, right-wing violent crimes in 2024, many will not be recorded in the PMK legal statistics because the motive of racism often initially remains unclear.

Increasing acts of violence and their consequences

The situation in the community is complicated by the fact that numerous incidents are documented but still not adequately prosecuted. Nils Weigt reported on a frightening incident at the 2024 AfD federal party conference in Essen, which was also not recorded in the PMK right-wing statistics. It is incomprehensible that such events are lost in the statistics. Martin, another citizen, was attacked with pepper spray by Robert Hagerman, an AfD local council candidate, when he tried to help others. Martin suffered stab wounds, and although the incident was classified as an excess of self-defense, the justice system acted in a questionable manner.

The advice centers that are supposed to support those affected do not receive any information about perpetrators who are AfD officials. This lack of information could be seen as part of a larger problem within the legal system, where those affected often feel that they are being let down by the rule of law. Judith Porath from VBRG sums it up: “People don’t feel protected.”

A worrying picture

Statistics of the Federal Criminal Police Office explain that politically motivated crime (PMK) represents a significant security problem in Germany. In 2024, there was an increase of 23.21% in the PMK-right, accounting for almost half of all registered cases. A total of 28,945 cases were counted. Within this figure, hate crimes are among the crimes that have increased the most, with an increase of 50%. Many of these crimes, which are characterized by extremism and intolerance, have right-wing extremist backgrounds, which increases the pressure on civil society.

Meanwhile, activists like Uli, Martin and Hubert continue their commitment to an open and respectful society. Despite all the adversities, they have decided not to give up and to fight against the right with their voices and actions. David, who became active after his incident and founded a punk rock band, is a living example of how violence can also create a drive for change. It remains to be hoped that the civil society initiatives in Cologne and beyond are strong enough to counteract the creeping violence and intolerance.

These developments once again make it clear that pressing questions regarding the security and protection of citizens are on the agenda today. The events of the last few months have made it clear that the fight against politically motivated acts of violence is far from over and that society is called upon to stand together and show the flag.