A self-declared "king" was arrested Tuesday in Germany, which also banned the associated "Kingdom of Germany." It's a far-right group established by Peter Fitzek in 2012 that the government believes is 1,000-members strong and that it viewed as a threat to the country's democratic order. It's tied to the Reichsbürger movement, which maintains the German Reich continues to this day and refuses to recognize the modern German state, its laws, or pay taxes. Fitzek—whom AFP describes as a 59-year-old former chef and karate instructor—and three of his deputies were nabbed in in nationwide raids involving about 800 officers. More:
- That 2012 declaration: The BBC reports Fitzek, who has also identified himself as "Peter the First," originally crowned himself while wearing ermine robes and bearing a medieval sword. In the decade-plus since, he has acquired land and property across Germany.
- A gradual shift: In AFP's telling, "Long dismissed as malcontents and oddballs, the Reichsbuerger have become increasingly radicalized and are considered a security threat by German authorities.
- Standout quote: "The members of this association have created a 'counter-state' in our country and built up economic criminal structures. We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order," Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told reporters. On the counter-state front, the group had allegedly created its own currency and personal identification documents.
- As part of the ban: Authorities will block the group's online platforms and confiscate its assets, reports the AP.
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