Explosion at Germany’s right-wing AfD office prompts suspicion of politically motivated attack
Police in Germany are investigating possible political motivations behind an explosion outside offices belonging to the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Its members slammed the incident as "shameless act."
The incident, involving the detonation of an “unknown substance,” occurred outside the party’s Doebeln office in the eastern state of Saxony. The explosion happened late on Thursday, yet the information started to make rounds in the local media only Friday.
No one was injured in the attack. However, the blast damaged the doors and windows of the office as well as the adjoining buildings and vehicles parked outside.
Police have remained tight-lipped in revealing any further information about the case citing “tactical reasons,” but Saxony's State Office of Criminal Investigation did confirm a political angle was being considered.
The attack was described by the AfD’s leader in the Bundestag, Alice Weidel, as “cowardly” and “against democracy.”
“I am deeply shocked by this shameless, cowardly act,” she added.
Also condemning the attack was Saxony’s centre-left deputy prime minister Martin Dulig. Writing on Twitter, the SPD-member said there was “no justification” for the assault adding that the fight against the AfD’s policies should be “fought politically and not with explosives.”
“This attack helps the AfD and hurts democracy,” he added.
Police have already detained three suspects and are checking further information on the blast, local media reported.
Founded in 2013, the anti-immigration AfD began to gain popular support during 2015’s refugee crisis as many German’s expressed anger at Angela Merkel’s open door policy to refugees. While its support is mainly based in Germany’s eastern states, it holds seats in all state parliaments.
In 2017 federal elections, the party won 12.6% of the vote, entering the Bundestag for the first time with 94 seats. However, the party’s stances on many issues such as homosexuality, nationalism, and the environment has led to accusations of the party holding far-right sympathies, something its supporters deny.
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