As countries worldwide are bringing the hammer down on immigration and drug smuggling, eyes focused on Germany this morning as the police announced they had detained four people yesterday after conducting a series of raids. The men arrested were members of the far-right anti-lockdown group that calls themselves the ‘United Patriots.’ The raids were launched following an investigation that started back in October.
During the raids on Wednesday, police seized several guns and foreign currency, totaling nearly €20,000. Police and prosecutors also collected mobile phones, data storage systems, computers, written documents about the group’s plans, and forged coronavirus vaccination and test certificates. After sifting through the data, investigators were able to identify five suspects between the ages of 41 and 55; they also established that the group had been using the Telegram App to communicate.
In Mainz, local prosecutors in Koblenz and the State Criminal Police Office said that the group planned bomb attacks on Germany’s energy infrastructure with another alleged plan to abduct German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. He backed Covid restrictions and Germany’s Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, among other established figures. With luck on his side, the Health Minister said that he was informed of the plan and obtained police protection before any fallout could occur.
When speaking on this topic, the Health Minister claimed, “A small minority have not only become radicalized but are now about more than Covid and… are intent on destabilizing the state and democracy.” Lauterbach described the measures some protestors take to be “highly dangerous.”
Investigators confirmed Lauterbach’s statement when they released a statement saying the primary motivator for the groups’ actions was to ‘destroy power supply facilities to cause a prolonged nationwide blackout.’ After coming to their initial conclusion, police figured the group was attempting to create chaos and, in the process, overthrow Germany’s democracy.
After getting his seat in December, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged to fight against what the past administration had received criticism for being lax of, Neo-Nazi violence. However, as the Chancellor’s attention got diverted due to dealing with the Coronavirus, and protests broke out among anti-vaxxers, many people came to air out their wide range of grievances to the government, one being, but not limited to the ‘United Patriots.’
