Right-wing radical mobilization in Berlin: Demo against alleged fraudsters!

Right-wing radical mobilization in Berlin: Demo against alleged fraudsters!

Berlin Interior State Secretary Christian Hochgrebe (SPD) has expressed concern about the activities of young right-wing extremists and neo-Nazis in Berlin. These are not a temporary phenomenon, but are now well organized. The neo-Nazi group “German Youth Forward” (DJV) has consolidated after several raids and arrests. The alliance with the right-wing extremist party “Die Heimat” and its youth organization “Young Nationalists” (JN) is planning a protest demonstration in Berlin-Mitte, which is scheduled to take place on November 29th.

The content of the call for demonstrations that was spread on Instagram is alarming. The call uses targeted racist propaganda and speaks of “criminal foreigners”, while terms such as “scammers” and “shell players” are also firmly anchored. The event begins at 1 p.m. at the Berlin Cathedral and ends at 3:30 p.m. at the Brandenburg Gate. The protest was registered with around 100 participants by the northern German branch of the NPD successor party “Die Heimat”.

Strategies of the extreme right

A new strategy by extreme right-wing actors combines racist resentment with the fight against alleged fraud. The neo-Nazis use platforms like Instagram to target popular stereotypes. YouTubers like “Kurt Caz” are spreading videos in which they show alleged con artists in major European cities. One of the last publications shows “three DJV comrades” who persecute migrant women and unprovenly describe them as pickpockets. This video received over 4,000 likes, underscoring the reach of the propaganda.

The DJV is considered a new generation of the extreme right. Particularly striking are the attempts to draw attention to themselves with aggressive patriotism and anti-queer sentiment. In its recruitment, the group focuses on young men's circles of friends, who often come from football fan scenes. There have also been attacks on CSD events in the past that were initiated by this group.

Counter-demonstration and reactions

At the same time, the “Berlin Against Nazis” alliance is planning a counter-demonstration at the Lustgarten, where 200 participants are expected. This counter-demonstration will start at 12:30 p.m. The highlight will send a loud and visible signal against the latest developments in Berlin's right-wing extremism scene.

The right-wing extremist party “Die Heimat”, which is considered the group with the largest number of members in traditional right-wing extremism in Berlin, has lost relevance in recent years, but is trying to regain its influence through increased networking with the DJV and JN. Violent incidents include attacks on anti-fascists and journalists by neo-Nazis during marches in Berlin. This is all happening in the context of increased activity among young people who subscribe to this extreme ideology.

The developments surrounding the planned demonstration and the reactions to it show how relevant the confrontation with right-wing extremism remains in society. Hochgrebe strongly warns against trivializing these phenomena and emphasizes that the challenge of countering these extreme views is important not only for politics, but for civil society as a whole.