The protests against the corona policy of the federal and state governments have been increasing for months – and the law is often broken. The Federal President warns that this is anything but harmless.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier sees the violent protests against the state corona policy as a threat to social peace in Germany.
“Each violent escalation is one too many. Because it’s not just about disregarding the right of assembly or hygiene rules,” he said. “It’s about the disregard for social peace in our country. Hatred and violence are destroying the foundation of our togetherness.”
In the round of talks on “Hate and violence in the times of the pandemic”, the head of state warned against trivializing the events. “The danger is real and it is concrete.” Hygiene rules and corona requirements were deliberately circumvented, doctor’s offices and vaccination buses were attacked, the homes of politicians, especially local politicians, were besieged, police officers were deliberately injured, and journalists were attacked. Death threats made headlines.
Criticism of inappropriate comparisons
Steinmeier emphasized that freedom of assembly is a valuable asset. The same applies to freedom of expression. “But a call for violence, even a call for murder, that is not the perception of expression of opinion. Anyone who opposes our law and joins forces with self-declared enemies of the state and right-wing extremists who are known to protect the constitution can no longer credibly invoke democracy and freedom.”
Certainly not such people could refer to the courageous East Germans of 1989, said Steinmeier. “How perfidious to equate the protests of that time with today’s. And presenting yourself as a victim with a yellow star is more than that. It is a trivialization of anti-Semitism and a mockery of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust.”
Attacks on local politicians
During the round of talks, Mayor André Neumann from Altenburg in Thuringia reported on e-mails “that on day X you and your family hang out at the market”. There is a danger that no one will be willing to accept the “actually honorable job” of being the head of a city. Social media is a big problem. Neumann called for the Messenger service Telegram, which serves as a platform for opponents of the Corona policy, to be switched off if necessary.
Markus Lewe, Mayor of the City of Münster and President of the German Association of Cities, spoke of a “fear of office” that local politicians now have. “When the mayor no longer dares to go home alone in the dark in the evening – that’s what makes things extremely dangerous and calls for an outcry from decent people.” Lewe called for more police protection for local politicians who feel threatened.
Annette Knaup, who works in a doctor’s office in Paderborn, said it happens every day that employees are attacked on the phone or at the registration desk. “I’m very scared when vaccination comes and we’re the ones who have to implement it, and we might also have to vaccinate those opposed to vaccination.” Klaus Reinhardt, President of the German Medical Association, who also practices as a doctor himself, saw widespread irritation. “And the threshold for that to turn into aggression has dropped. Clearly.”
Source From: Stern
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