Germany Takes Action to Curtail Far-Right Hate Crimes Amid Increase in Incidents

The recent monitoring and containment efforts by Germany’s security services to tackle the growing threat of modern far-right extremists is a necessary and important action, as hate crimes motivated by political views continue to increase.

This past week, the German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), also known as the Federal Domestic Intelligence Service, declared that the youth wing of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is an extremist group in need of monitoring and control.

The AfD’s extremist ideology has been linked to a range of violent activities and hate speech, and this decision by the BfV signals a significant step in tackling the far-right. In addition to this, the country has also increased surveillance of extremist groups, partially as a result of the Christchurch attack in March 2019.

However, it is essential to note that the threat from the far-right is not limited to Germany alone. This is a global issue, which requires closer international cooperation to monitor and control. As far-right political parties become increasingly successful, particularly in Europe, there have been worrying signs of other political parties beginning to adopt their rhetoric.

In the UK, for example, the sharp increase in violence against immigrants has been condemned by the United Nations, but there are still far too many cases of xenophobic and racist language being used in political discourse across Europe.

It is therefore crucial that all levels of government create initiatives that will be able to monitor and contain the growth of far-right extremism, and its resulting acts of hatred. This can include laws, such as the recently passed German NetzDG law, which requires social networks to report hate speech to the authorities.

Additionally, governments must focus on educating the public about the dangers of far-right extremism, and the need to challenge it whenever it arises. There must also be a clear message from political leaders that racism and bigotry is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated in any way.

In conclusion, Germany’s monitoring and containment of the far-right is a vital step in tackling this issue. However, it is essential that it remains consistently vigilant, and that it is replicated across the world in order to ensure that these ideologies remain in check. Only then will we be able to begin to truly address the threat of far-right extremism and hate crime.