German MP attacked in wave of political violence – DW – 01.06.2024

Roderich Kiesewetter, member of the German Bundestag (CDU), is the latest politician in Germany to be physically attacked in the run-up to the European elections next Sunday.

Kiesewetter, a former soldier, was on the campaign trail in Aalen, Baden-Württemberg, on Saturday morning when he was verbally and physically attacked by a 55-year-old man who the police said he knew.

The man approached the CDU’s campaign stand and verbally attacked Kiesewetter, who asked him to stop.

He then began to tear down the campaign stand. When Kiesewetter tried to take a photo of the attacker, the man hit the MP, threw him to the ground and fled the scene.

Kiesewetter, who suffered minor injuries in the altercation, offered to waive charges if the perpetrator apologized.

Local media reported that the attacker was a candidate for the Aalen city council and a member of a right-wing extremist party who was said to have links to the anti-vaccination movement “Querdenker”.

Numerous politicians from the SPD, Greens and FDP expressed their solidarity with their CDU colleague in statements of solidarity, and a cross-party vigil against political violence is planned for Sunday afternoon.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser wished Kiesewetter all the best on the social media platform X while condemning the violence. She said it was “never acceptable” in our democracy and must be “punished quickly and severely.”

js/ab (AFP, dpa)