More than a hundred criminal acts targeted at politicians in Brandenburg

In the election years of 2022 and 2024, Brandenburg witnessed a significant increase in criminal offenses against politicians and party offices.

During the first quarter of 2022, there were 105 offenses recorded, a stark contrast to the 177 cases in the previous quarter. The offenses ranged from destroyed election posters, insults, slanders, to defamation, as per Section 188 of the Criminal Code.

The most common offenses were targeted at politicians, with insults, slander, or defamation being the primary offenses. The political parties affected included AfD, Left, SPD, Greens, and CDU, with most offenses directed towards AfD politicians. Offenses were also committed against members of the federal government.

Incidents of public incitement to commit a crime were reported in April and early May 2022. One such incident targeted then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz, while another occurred just before Friedrich Merz was elected as Scholz's successor. There was also one case of incitement to hatred in Cottbus.

Offenses against party offices were also prevalent. Between April and June 2022, there were 11 incidents of defacing buildings, damaging windows or mailboxes, and covering buildings with stickers. From January to March 2022, there were 10 such offenses.

In the election year 2024, the police in Brandenburg recorded around 470 criminal offenses against politicians and party offices, marking an 85 percent increase from the previous year. The incident in Oderaue, Märkisch-Oderland, where a public call to commit a criminal offense was made in May, remains under investigation, but no politician in the area was found to be involved.

Last year, Brandenburg held municipal, European, and state elections, along with an advance federal election. Despite the increase in criminal offenses, the elections were conducted peacefully, demonstrating the resilience of the democratic process.