Police in Germany arrested five teenagers in a raid Wednesday against a neo-Nazi group officials say has organized attacks against migrants and wants to topple the nation's form of government. The male suspects, ages 14 to 18, were taken into custody in three states in eastern and central Germany, the New York Times reports, on suspicion of belonging to or supporting domestic terrorist organizations. Two of the suspects were charged with attempted murder and arson. "This is an alarm signal and it shows that rightwing extremist terrorism knows no age," Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig posted on X.
The group, called the Last Wave of Defense, was started by young people in April 2024. Prosecutors said it's responsible for attacks against political opponents and on buildings that housed people seeking asylum, per the Guardian. Officials said one of the teenagers arrested wrote a speech for a video before two of the suspects set a cultural center in the town of Altdöbern on fire in October that encouraged members to carry out similar attacks. The public broadcaster ARD reported that online chats linked to the group praised the Nazi regime and promoted major acts of violence.
German news media report the suspects' group is one of a growing number proliferating on social media and attracting young people. Politically motivated crimes in the country rose 40% from 2023 to last year, reaching a high point since tracking began in 2001, per the Times. The government found that crimes linked to far-right ideologies jumped about 48% from 2023 to 2024. The nation's interior minister announced the data on Tuesday, saying, "The biggest threat to democracy comes from right-wing extremism." (More Germany stories.)
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