In the early hours of Monday, a car belonging to a member of the Junge Alternative (JA), the youth wing of the AfD, went up in flames in Neustadt, northern Germany.
Authorities suspect arson and have tasked the Staatsschutz, the division responsible for politically motivated crimes, with investigating the incident.
Around 1:40 a.m., bystanders spotted the burning vehicle and called emergency services. By the time police and firefighters arrived, the car was engulfed in flames. Although the fire was extinguished, the damage is estimated at €20,000. A police spokesperson confirmed that both a technical fault and deliberate arson are being investigated, adding, “Arson cannot be excluded at this time.”
AfD Blames Left-Wing Extremism
Julian Flak, vice-chairman of the AfD in Schleswig-Holstein, pointed to a politically motivated attack. “This attack fits in with the series of left-wing extremist attacks of recent years in the Lübeck and Ostholstein region,” Flak told JF News. He criticized mainstream political parties, accusing them of fueling violence against the AfD. “The increasing spiral of violence against property and individuals is a direct result of the uninhibited attacks on the AfD by established parties. Anyone who continues to downplay left-wing extremist violence will contribute to its normalization.”
The Staatsschutz’s investigation aims to determine whether the fire was deliberate and, if so, who was behind it. Meanwhile, rising political tensions in Germany are sparking more frequent acts of violence.
Growing Polarization in German Politics
This incident highlights a troubling trend in Germany’s political landscape. In 2023, the AfD was the most targeted party for physical attacks, with 86 recorded incidents. The Greens followed with 62 reports of violence against their members. These statistics illustrate the intensifying polarization in German politics, where ideological divides increasingly manifest as acts of aggression.
