Germany Bans Neo-Nazi Hammerskins Group

In a resolute move against right-wing extremism, Germany has officially banned the local chapter of the US-based Hammerskins neo-Nazi group, notorious for organizing white supremacist rock concerts. The Interior Ministry made this announcement on Tuesday, underscoring the group's aim to propagate "a racial doctrine based on Nazi ideology." Hammerskins Deutschland, consisting of approximately 130 individuals, faced swift action from law enforcement. In coordinated raids across multiple regions, police searched the residences of 28 group members on Tuesday. Furthermore, sub-chapters of the organization and a spin-off known as Crew 28 were also prohibited. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that this decisive action dealt "a hard blow against organized right-wing extremism" and sent "a clear signal against racism and anti-Semitism." The ministry characterized the group as playing a "prominent" role in Europe's right-wing extremist scene. This marks the 20th right-wing extremist group to be banned in Germany, highlighting the government's commitment to combatting extremist ideologies. The Hammerskins' primary objective, according to the ministry, was "to live out and consolidate their right-wing extremist ideology, especially through concerts." The US-based Hammerskins group was founded in 1988, and its influence extended across borders. Germany has been grappling with the growing presence of right-wing extremism. A report from the BfV federal domestic intelligence agency in June 2022 indicated that there were approximately 38,800 individuals within the right-wing extremist spectrum in Germany, up from 33,900 in the previous year. Additionally, the number of potentially violent extremists increased from 13,500 to 14,000. Interior Minister Faeser emphasized that far-right extremism represents "the biggest extremist threat to our democracy." Recent incidents, such as the 2020 far-right extremist attack in Hanau that claimed 10 lives, serve as painful reminders of the dangers posed by such groups. More recently, in December, German authorities apprehended a far-right group led by a self-proclaimed prince, alleging their intention to violently overthrow the state and establish a new government.