BERLIN — Germany has banned an extremist far-right organization linked to the so-called "Reichsbürger" (Citizens of the Reich) movement and carried out dawn raids on its properties and leaders' homes, the interior ministry said on Tuesday.
Hundreds of security forces across several German states searched properties associated with the self-styled "Königreich Deutschland" (Kingdom of Germany) group, and arrested four of its leading members, according to the government.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the organization's 6,000 members had created a "counter-state" in Germany and "built up economic criminal structures".
The group underpinned its supposed claim to power with antisemitic conspiracy narratives, according to Dobrindt, who said Germany would not tolerate such behavior.
"We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order," Dobrindt added.
The group's online platforms will be blocked and its assets will be confiscated to ensure that no further resources can be used for extremist purposes, the interior ministry said.
The "Kingdom of Germany" was proclaimed by its leader Peter Fitzek, who was arrested on Tuesday, in the eastern town of Wittenberg in 2012, according to the interior ministry. The group claims to be a "counter-state" that has seceded from the federal government.
The "Citizens of the Reich" movement does not recognize Germany as a state. Many of its members claim that the historical German Reich still exists and ignore the country's democratic and constitutional structures such as parliament, laws or courts. They also refuse to pay taxes, social security contributions or fines.
Berlin has warned for years of the growing threat posed by far-right extremists and has repeatedly cracked down on such groups.
In March, five people linked to the "Citizens of the Reich" movement were jailed for plotting to overthrow the German government in a far-right coup.
In a separate case, 25 people were arrested in December 2022 for planning to topple the government as part of a domestic terrorist organization. Among the plotters was a member of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. — Euronews
