Germany’s intelligence service has identified some anti-lockdown activists as having potential ties to extremism, declaring that the groups will be put under federal surveillance due to fears that they are attempting to undermine the leadership and legitimacy of the state. On Wednesday, the Federal office for the Protection of the Constitution announced that the surveillance will focus on specific unnamed members of the Querdenker group. The Querdenker group has been vocal about its resistance to lockdown measures.
Querdenker has also allegedly promoted Covid-19 and vaccine skepticism, spread harmful and false conspiracy theories, and conducted violent anti-lockdown protests. Interior Minister Horst Seehofer stated that the Querdenker movement has proven its willingness to use violence against policies that go against their beliefs, stating that authorities have the duty to protect the rule of the law in Germany. Last year, the same movement was placed under surveillance due to extremism, ideological conspiracy, and anti-Semitism. Authorities also state that Querdenker has ties to the US QAnon movement.
Read More: Germany puts anti-lockdown group under surveillance for possible extremist ties