German police have raided around 50 homes and other locations, targeting people suspected of involvement in far-right youth criminal groups that have recently emerged in the country.
Prosecutors have said the suspects are believed to be part of two groups, “Jung & Stark” (JS), or “Young and Strong”, and “Deutsche Jugend Voran” (DJV), which means “Forward German Youth”.
No arrests were made during Wednesday’s raids, which took place in 12 federal states, mainly in eastern and southern Germany, including Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg and Saxony.
In a statement, federal prosecutors said the raids targeted individuals suspected of organizing violence through social media and creating networks on a national scale.
“Some of the accused are said to have attacked members of the left-wing scene or people they considered pedophiles. In any case, the victims were beaten by several attackers and suffered serious injuries,” prosecutors said.
The authorities say that during their meetings, members of the groups have called “for acts of violence against political opponents and against alleged pedophiles”.
Last year, one of the leaders of the DJV was sentenced to more than three years in prison after a series of violent attacks on political opponents in Berlin.
24-year-old Julian M., along with a group of 16- to 23-year-olds, was found guilty of brutally beating several people who appeared to be holding symbols associated with the political left.
More than 600 police officers took part in Wednesday’s raids.
In Germany there is deep concern that young people are being drawn to far-right activities and violence targeting both left-wing figures and LGBT communities.
Both groups, JS and DJV, operate openly, with a visible online presence, on platforms such as Telegram, Instagram and other social networks.
