Extremists from a German Antifa group have taken responsibility for setting a car on fire outside the residence of a well-known populist politician.
On Sunday night, the Antifa group announced on the far-left platform Indymedia that they had “destroyed” a BMW owned by Bernd Baumann, a member of the parliamentary group Alternative for Germany, using an “incendiary device.”
In their post, they wrote, “One, two, three, assemble many hammer gangs! Whether it’s hammers or Molotov cocktails, be vigilant against anti-fascists! We don’t want sexists, racists, or fascists on our streets! You damn mag freaks, you’d better watch out!” They specifically called out Charlie Kirk, saying he should go to hell.
The group had a list of grievances, including the forthcoming trial of fellow Antifa activists in Germany, as well as a recent designation of a far-left international network as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in the U.S. and the government of Viktor Orbán in Hungary.
They stated: “In a time when acts of murder and racism by Nazis, civilians, and police are rampant, when military blockades against refugees in Europe, Germany, and the U.S. are increasing, and when the president of the U.S. casually discusses liking the smell of deportation while using military force against anti-racist protests, there’s a pressing need to organize in a fiercely anti-fascist way.
They suggested that the accused Antifa members would do precisely what they are charged with at the moment.
On Monday, police in Hamburg confirmed that they had launched an investigation into arson, noting that several vehicles were affected, several of which were “completely” burnt out. National security officials are now leading the inquiry.
Baumann mentioned to die welt that he had to install a steel door and keep a guard dog because of threats from far-left groups. “My house is constantly attacked. My wife is really scared,” he shared.
He also pointed out that just last month, his home speech, alongside two other AfD politicians in Hamburg, was published by an anonymous author on the Indymedia platform.
Baumann criticized local prosecutors for dropping charges against far-left extremists because they couldn’t identify the culprits. He argued that authorities know “exactly where” Antifa members live, but there’s no inclination to pursue legal action.
“This attack on a leading member of the main opposition party is a direct attack on German democracy,” said AfD co-leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Churpala in a statement.
The party hoped that the AfD parliamentary group would receive solidarity and support from other parliamentary factions in the fight against enemies of democracy.
However, it remains uncertain how much backing populist parties will get from their counterparts, as Die Linke (Left) has openly proclaimed the Antifa slogan: “Alerta, alata, antifa sista!” They gained entry to Congress earlier this year after national elections.
