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German police carry out nationwide raids on far-right Reich Citizens
German police carry out nationwide raids on far-right Reich Citizens
German police conducted raids across the country on Wednesday to arrest right-wing extremists involved in plots to overthrow the democratic system by force. Raids in seven federal states targeted five members of the far-right Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement and more than a dozen of other right-wing extremists, according to the Federal Prosecutor's office.
Published March 22,2023
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Police carried out raids in four German states on Wednesday in connection with investigations into the far-right Reichsbürger (Reich Citizens) movement.
An officer from a special task force was slightly injured and a suspect was arrested following a shooting in the south-western city of Reutlingen in the state of Baden-Württemberg, prosecutors said.
Police also searched properties in the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Bavaria and Lower Saxony.
It was initially unclear how many people are currently being targeted by investigators and whether any other arrests had been made.
The searches, commissioned by the Federal Prosecutor's Office, are a follow-up to the large-scale raid against the Reich Citizens in several federal states, Austria and Italy last December.
The Reichsbürger group does not recognize the authority of the German state.
Some alleged members of the diffuse movement are accused of planning to overthrow the German government.