The German city of Leipzig is home to high amounts of left-wing extremist violence according to a new report that showed there have been at least 22 separate cases in 2016.
German anti-mass migration non-governmental organisation Einprozent claims that Leipzig in 2016 suffered from at least one offence committed by left-wing extremists every month of the year except for April. The incidents include burning cars, destruction of property, and physical assaults.
The targets were often the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, right-wing media, and even the German army according to the report.
The first incident of 2016 occurred on the very first day of the year with left-wing radicals burning a total of eight cars outside the main customs office in the city causing €200,000 (£174,000) worth of damage. Setting fire to cars has become a commonly used tactic by far-left extremists in Germany and particularly in Leipzig.
The report shows that seven of the 22 incidents involved the extremists burning cars. In some cases, the targets were members of the AfD such as on February 2nd when an AfD city councillor had their car torched and later on September 15th when the leader of the AfD Frauke Petry, who lives in the city, also had her vehicle attacked and burned.
Even the German army, or Bundeswehr, were not safe from left-extremists who burned several military vehicles, costing well over €100,000.
AfD meetings and offices were also attacked repeatedly, including the offices of supporters of the party. On February 17th, a law office was vandalised, windows broken, and paint sprayed inside and outside because one of the partners was a member of the party.
On March 29th, a meeting of AfD city councillors was attacked when extremists threw “tar bombs” through the windows of the building resulting in costly damages.
The report notes that despite the government often being the target of left-wing extremist violence, there are very few, if any, criminal charges brought against suspects. “In Leipzig, it seems that every left-wing extremist can run off without fear of prosecution by the police or the judiciary,” the report said.
Left-wing terror and violence are on the rise not only in Leipzig but across the country. German authorities have noted the increase and despite this information, many, including the recently elected government of Berlin, have chosen instead to focus on right-wing extremism. The Berlin government has also stated they will be largely ignoring Islamic terrorism as well in a report that outraged many in the wake of the Berlin terror attack.
Einprozent has also noted that some governments have actively given money to groups associated with left-wing extremists in the Saxony-Anhalt region fueling their own speculation regarding other parts of the country.
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