Germany bans the largest ‘Reich citizen’ group and arrests 4 leaders

BERLIN (AP) — The German government has banned the largest “Reich citizen” group, an extremist far-right organization that calls itself the “Kingdom of Germany” and seeks to undermine the country’s democratic order. Four of its leaders were arrested.

Since early Tuesday morning, hundreds of security forces in several states have been searching the association’s properties and the homes of leading members.

“The members of this association have created a “counter-state” in our country and built up economic criminal structures,” Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said, adding that the members of the group underpinned their supposed claim to power with antisemitic conspiracy narratives — a behavior that the country cannot tolerate.

“We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order,” Dobrindt added.

The so-called “ Reich citizen, ” or Reichsbürger” movement does not recognize Germany as a state. Many of them claim that the historical German Reich still exists and ignore the country’s democratic and constitutional structures such as parliament, laws or courts. They also refuse to pay taxes, social security contributions or fines.

The so-called “Kingdom of Germany” was proclaimed by its leader Peter Fitzek — who was among those arrested on Tuesday — in the eastern town of Wittenberg in 2012 and says it has around 6,000 followers, the interior ministry said in a statement. It claims to be a “counter-state” that seceded from the German federal government.

The group’s online platforms will be blocked and its assets will be confiscated to ensure that no further financial resources can be used for extremist purposes.

It’s not the first time that Germany acts against the “Reichsbürger” movement.

In 2023, German police officers searched the homes of about 20 people in connection with investigations into the far-right Reich Citizens scene, whose adherents had similarities to followers of the QAnon movement in the United States.

Last year, the alleged leaders of a suspected far-right plot to topple Germany’s government went on trial on Tuesday, opening proceedings in a case that shocked the country in late 2022.