Attack goal: Constitutional protection: Railway in the focus of left -wing extremists

According to the constitutional protection, left -wing extremists do not take into account the interests of commuters and other uninvolved people in their attacks on critical infrastructure. According to the authority, this shows attacks on energy supply and rail traffic in the past few months and years. According to a statistics from the police authorities, there were almost 300 politically motivated crimes against transport companies or means of transport last year.

Attack goals of energy suppliers and train

In a current analysis by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BFV) it says that left -wing extremists rarely aimed at the failure of basic care facilities. Rather, they mostly wanted to damage selected commercial companies – for example by capping the power supply. “In doing so, they accept any collateral damage,” writes the intelligence service.

One example is patients of a nursing home who had to be moved to hospitals to hospitals in southeast of Berlin on September 9 after the arson attack, because ventilation could no longer be guaranteed.

Justification patterns climate protection

“The most common commitment to climate protection is used as justification for attacks,” writes the BFV. The aim is to radicalize the climate protest movement and to delegitimize the state and its institutions.

Further reasons that would be led by left -wing extremists should be assigned “anti -militarism”, “anti -repression” and – especially when attacks on construction sites and real estate companies – “anti -trification”.

Gentrification is the upgrading of a residential area through the renovation and modernization, which is accompanied by the influx of more own residents. Rising rents then often lead to a repression of long -standing, low -income tenants.

Control of soft and signals destroyed

This summer, for example, two fire sets were ignited in North Rhine-Westphalia on the Düsseldorf-Duisburg railway line. As a result, cables were destroyed for controlling switches and signals. The result: significant delays in long-distance and regional traffic. State Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) spoke of a possible left -wing extremist background.

As early as 2018, left -wing extremists had destroyed signal cables along the same route between Düsseldorf and Duisburg to protest against deportations from Düsseldorf Airport.

Deutsche Bahn badly affected

“Deutsche Bahn AG has been particularly affected by left -wing extremist attacks for years”, the Federal Office sums up, but without taking into account the investigation into the latest attacks on railway lines.

In total, the police recorded 524 crimes nationwide in 2024 with presumably political background, which were directed against the infrastructure. According to statistics, there were 823 acts in 2023. In the years 2021 (337 crimes) and 2022 (475 crimes) it was significantly less.

Also data networks and power plants as the target of the attack

According to police statistics, there were 35 politically motivated crimes last year, which were directed against data networks or IT infrastructure. A total of 281 acts were aimed at energy supply companies or energy supply facilities. In 131 crimes, the “Infrastructure” police listed as an attack goal. In addition, according to the statistics, there were 106 crimes directed against power plants.

Nationwide, 299 politically motivated offenses were directed against transport, transport companies or traffic facilities. In 13 cases it was about arson. The police registered property damage in 28 cases.

Handlag of Russian secret services

In addition to left -wing extremists, the security authorities, when it comes to attacks on the infrastructure, also have an eye on foreign actors – especially Russian secret services. “There is currently an increased abstract risk in relation to sabotage activities or corresponding preparatory actions in responsibility for foreign bodies,” said a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior on request. An increase has been observed here in particular since 2024. As a rule, Russia rely on henchmen that are recruited and controlled by social media or messenger services.

New legal requirements should come

The Federal Cabinet recently decided on the draft law for the so-called criticism roof law. The draft provides stricter requirements for the operators of larger systems from the sectors of energy, transport and transport, finance, social security, health, nutrition, water, settlement waste disposal, information technology and telecommunications and space. You must plan, implement protective measures and inform the authorities about security -related incidents. However, experts think it is hardly feasible to monitor electricity pylons and train tracks across the board and avoid attacks there.