German police carry out nationwide action after hate messages on Facebook

On Wednesday, the German police took action in fourteen of the sixteen federal states in response to hate messages on Facebook. The homes of 60 suspects were searched. The police want to use this to tackle ‘verbal radicalism’.

The police report that crimes are regularly committed in certain closed Facebook groups, because members glorify National Socialism, are guilty of xenophobia or post anti-Semitic or right-wing extremist statements. ‘Volksverhetzung’, or incitement to hatred, is a criminal offense in Germany, as is spreading propaganda and using the signs of illegal organizations.

According to the German police, this type of crime has been increasing recently, partly due to the anonymity offered by the internet. The discussion about the admission of refugees by Germany would also contribute to these violations. The police consider it necessary to intervene, to ‘prevent further poisoning of the social climate’. According to the newspaper Die Welt, no arrests have been made.

The national campaign is part of a project group against hate messages, which was established in December 2015. The police also want to make citizens aware of the action. Citizens are then asked not to ignore such messages, but to report them.