Campaign violence in Saxony-Anhalt: over 1,000 poster damages and 120 attacks on politicians
Before the state parliament election in Saxony-Anhalt, the Interior Ministry registered more than 1,000 damaged election posters and 120 attacks on politicians.
Saxony-Anhalt records record number of campaign offences before state parliament election
As Google News DE — Crime (de) reports, the number of campaign-related offences in Saxony-Anhalt before the forthcoming state parliament election has risen significantly. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 1,000 cases of damaged or stolen election posters have been recorded so far — around one-third more than in the super-election year 2021, which included state parliament, federal parliament and local elections.
Additionally, the authorities registered 120 cases of assault, threats and insults against politicians in connection with the ongoing election campaign.
Ahead of election weekend, the police are preparing for a major deployment. According to the Halle police inspectorate, all available forces of the Saxony-Anhalt state police are deployed; officers from other federal states are being brought in to provide support. More than 20 demonstrations have already been registered for election weekend, many of them in Magdeburg and Halle.
The focus is on an allegation against AfD Member of the European Parliament Arno Bausemer. He is said to have pursued two teenagers in mid-August and injured one of them after they allegedly damaged an AfD election poster. According to MDR research, one teenager was admitted to hospital with a concussion and multiple bruises.
One day later, Bausemer is said to have been stopped during a traffic control with a breath alcohol level of 1.25 per mil. According to its own statements, the Stendal public prosecutor's office has already filed an application to lift his parliamentary immunity and intends to investigate him.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)