Nationwide police action: Fight against hate online starts today!

Nationwide police action: Fight against hate online starts today!

Berlin, Deutschland - On June 25, 2025, the police carried out a nationwide campaign against hate and agitation on the Internet. Numerous searches were carried out in Berlin and Brandenburg that are part of the twelfth day of action against hate posting. In the capital, nine searches of searches were carried out, with suspected use of indicators of unconstitutional organizations as well as sedition, reward and approval of crimes. This campaign is a reaction to the worrying increase in punishable hate comments on the Internet, the number of which has been more than quadrupled from 2021 to 2024, as reported by tagesschau.de.

The searches in Berlin were carried out in various districts, including in Hohenschönhausen, Neukölln and Charlottenburg. A total of investigations against eight men and a woman between the ages of 26 and 70 were recorded. The focus was on posts and activities on social networks such as the "X", Facebook and threads platform. In Brandenburg, surveys are also planned by six other people who are involved in cases of the use of National Socialist symbols and the insulting of political officials.

increase in hate comments

The police have taken 180 measures nationwide, of which more than 140 investigations are affected. The Federal Criminal Police Office documents an alarming development: in 2024 a total of 10,732 cases of punishable hatred were registered, and two thirds of the hate posts come from the right spectrum. Further cases are assigned to a wide variety of ideologies, from left to religious groups.

Most common crimes are sedition, the use of indicators of unconstitutional organizations and insults. The increase in hate comments is not only attributed to an increase in hate expressions, but also to "lightening the dark field", which means that more cases are reported. Therefore, the BKA calls for such content to the police and social network providers.

effects on society

A current study with over 3,000 participants shows the serious effects of hate on the network on the expressions of opinion of the citizens. More than half of the online users indicate that it is less likely to express their political opinion for fear of hatred and insults. Young women, people with a migration background and queer people in particular are often affected by violent threats. The researchers found that 49 % of the respondents were already insulted online, and 25 % suffered physical violence.

The study, published by the Society for Media Education and Communication Culture, Hateaid and new German media makers, states that 82 % of the respondents fear that hatred on the net endangers the contributions to diversity on the Internet and 76 % are concerned that this leads to an increase in violence in everyday life. At the same time, 86 % of the participants require a stronger responsibility of the social media platforms for the content they spread.

The Federal Minister for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth, Lisa Paus, has emphasized that hatred on the network is a serious threat to democracy, and demands urgent measures to combat these developments. Her appeal is part of a broader discussion about the necessary implementation of the European Digital Services Act (DSA) and the creation of resilience against the problems that arise from hatred on the net.

Overall, the current police campaign is an important signal in the fight against digital violence and shows that the authorities are willing to act against the growing phenomenon of online hatred. In society there is a willingness to discuss these topics and actively act against the negative effects, even if the number of unreported cases remains high.