Large-scale operation in Cottbus, Germany : crackdown on extreme-Right and Hooligans

The police of Brandenburg, is since Wednesday morning with a big lineup against the right-wing extremist scene in Cottbus (Brandenburg), the procedure. In the for a year the current procedure is determined because of the formation of a criminal organization - now a large-scale RAID followed.

emergency workers and investigators are indented on the previous Wednesday morning, to search more than 30 objects - apartments, business premises and offices - primarily in Cottbus, but also in Spremberg and in Frankfurt (Oder), in Hennigsdorf and Kolkwitz, Görlitz in Saxony, in kühlungsborn in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and in Berlin, in the districts of Marzahn and Lichtenberg.

According to daily mirror information is determined against more than 20 people, in the wide range of Cottbus scene from Battle athletes, security companies, neo-Nazis, the Hooligan group, the "Inferno" of the FC Energie Cottbus and rockers to be active.

The Brandenburger protection of the Constitution had referred to this particular mixture in Cottbus, which is considered the Hotspot of the right-wing extremist scene in Brandenburg, some time ago, as a "toxic Entity". Allegations: assault, violation of the arms act, threat, tax evasion.

Triggered investigations by the findings of the Cottbus scene. There, threats against journalists have been uttered. At the same time, several other crimes are included in the investigation, including bodily injury, violation of the weapons law and the Use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations.

it is also about attacks on journalists, refugee helpers and Fans of other football clubs. Among the accused are well-known names of neo-Nazis, which had already been noticed in the past by acts of violence, and in the 2012 forbidden "resistance movement in southern Brandenburg", also known as a "spree of lights", were entangled.

investigators have become to daily mirror information find. The results of for months, prepared for RAID, want to report Minister Karl-Heinz Schröter (SPD) at a press conference on Thursday. None of the accused was arrested on Wednesday first of all, it only warrants, but no arrest warrants were presented.

Rechtstremes business network

The Cottbus scene is prepared as a particularly violent - but also as a business. The right-wing extremists have established their own economic base with thriving security companies, tattoo studios, clothing brands, and Label for right-wing extremist music. Investigators also speak of a new quality of the organized crime.

was searched in the Morning, about a Tattoo Studio in the city center, which is associated with a leading figure of the "Inferno". Also, a apparel business, which operated until recently under the name of a city well-known neo-Nazis and entrepreneur.

The man is regarded as a veteran of the scene in Cottbus and as a link between the bouncer circles, neo-Nazis, Hooligans, and martial arts learning. The battle-seasoned Kickboxer had also founded a popular fashion brand, in 2012, the police moved in with him because of the ban of the "spree lights".

As of 2013, the conflict for supremacy in the bouncer milieu escalated, he had a Rocker of the Hells Angels MC“ and operator of a security company in the city centre, and stabbed, and suffered life-threatening injuries. The man then sat for a few years in prison, since in 2016 he is active again.

on top of that, members of the Cottbus scene regularly take part in martial arts Events and, therefore, have international contacts to the extreme right-wing martial arts and Hooligan groups in Russia, Poland and France. The city's well-known Kickboxer was accompanied by about 2018, a Cottbus Team to a strictly insular Race. For the neo-Nazis of the martial arts is, according to the protection of the Constitution part of the preparation for the "final battle", the "day x", to be prepared for "the intended collapse of the state".

its origin to the new investigations had already at the beginning of 2017: at that Time, more than 100 neo-Nazis were marching at night with torches, undisturbed by Cottbus. The investigators had seen the parade as a demonstration of power of the extreme right - wing scene also to the supporters of the FC energy.

There had been since the beginning of 2017 to disputes. Threats, home visits, violence - "Inferno" had been delimited by the fan base and a curve in the stadium of friendship and brought in line. The biggest Ultra group in the stadium of the FC Energie Cottbus had seen forced to Give up.

police responded to the escalation and founded in 2017, the investigation team is "fire". This, however, only a few offences in the view. The investigators had also learn that in the scene with acts of violence against journalists is threatened.

Also, therefore, criminal investigation Department and public Prosecutor's office in Cottbus redeemed in April 2018, then the investigations into allegations of forming a criminal Association. The procedure is linked in the Brandenburg police, police President Hans-Jürgen Mörke has always been informed directly, in the case of the state protection of the land office of criminal investigation.

Behind the Scenes, the thugs continued

The violence and threats to keep the fan base to this day: Although Inferno Cottbus had given in may of 2017, supposedly its resolution is known, after the daily mirror's sister newspaper "Potsdamer neueste Nachrichten" and the RBB had reported to the joint research that the racket squad spread a climate of fear in the fan base. With the dissolution of the law wanted to come earlier, extremists of a ban by the security authorities.

However, the neo-Nazi Hooligans went on behind the Scenes. The former "Inferno"-the troupe has set its supremacy in the curve violently. The Brandenburger protection of the Constitution made it clear to the alleged "Inferno"-resolution: "It may be assumed that it is only lip service." As a document of the intelligence service of joint trips of the "Inferno"Hooligans to far-right rock concerts and extreme right-wing martial arts led tournaments.

Finally, the neo-Nazis Hooligans showed up for the regular demonstrations of xenophobic Association "future home". They are also made for attacks on the outskirts of the demonstrations responsible.

And at the end of August of 2018, it came to an incident, Germany made headlines. In the framework of the celebrations for the re-emergence in the third division, several Hundred Fans were drawn to the game by the Cottbus city centre. On the Altmarkt square, several Fans were white caps in the style of the racist Ku-Klux-clan. Undisturbed, they could present your Banner - it bore the lettering "rise of Evil" - apparently an allusion to a well-known film biography of "Adolf Hitler".

read more about the extremists from Cottbus

January 2017: Hundreds of masked neo-Nazis marched by Cottbus with Pyro-flares. The police had no prior information on the action you classify as "clearly of the extreme right". Brandenburg security authorities shall consider whether there is a connection to the forbidden neo-Nazi network "the resistance of southern Brandenburg". Here is the Text from the "Potsdamer neueste Nachrichten".

- may 2017: "Inferno Cottbus is a proliferation." Brandenburg Minister of the interior, Schröter, praises the President of Energie Cottbus for the new way of dealing with neo-Nazis. Harsh words it is to vaccinate for the predecessor - including the President of the sports Federation

- January 2018: rights and attack journalists. the Even professional firefighters shouted from her car: "We salute the patriots in Cottbus." Click here to read the daily mirror-Text.

- may 2018: Fans of celebrate the rise of the Ku-Klux-Klan-masks . A Banner with the words "rise of Evil", white hats in the style of the racist Ku-Klux-Klan As some Fans have celebrated the rise of the team in the third League. Now the state determines the protection. Here is the daily mirror-Text.

- may 2018: Minister of the interior, to the Ku-Klux-Klan-action: "there's nothing more To me". police officers is not observed in Cottbus at the ascension celebration is an action of neo – Nazis and steps. Minister of the interior, Schröter is criticized with strong words. Here is the daily mirror-Text.

- February 2019: Right guard in the concentration camp memorial Sachsenhausen. In the concentration camp memorial Sachsenhausen, people were awake on Patrol, which belong to the company of an extreme Right-wing. The memorial seeks to enlightenment. Here is the daily mirror-Text.

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Incidents in Cottbus rights to insult and attack journalists

Alexander Cheerful, Hardy Krüger