After the attack on SPD politician Matthias Ecke, a 17-year-old reported to the police and confessed to the crime. That is what the police said.
A 17-year-old turned himself in to the police after the attack on SPD politician Matthias Ecke. The young person is said to have reported to the Dresden-Süd police station in the Prohlis district at around 1 a.m. on Sunday night together with his mother.
Accordingly, the 17-year-old is said to have admitted the attack, but initially did not provide any further information. He is not in custody because it cannot be assumed that he will go into hiding, said a spokeswoman for the State Criminal Police Office in Dresden on Sunday.
He has not yet appeared to the police. Further investigations would show whether the 17-year-old’s statement was correct. The three other suspects remain unknown. The suspect is now to be questioned by the Police Terrorism and Extremism Counter Center.
Interior Minister urges other perpetrators to report to the police
Ecke is the Saxon SPD’s leading candidate for the European elections. The 41-year-old was beaten up by four young men while hanging up election posters in Dresden on Friday evening. He has been in hospital ever since and needs surgery. Shortly before, according to police, the same group had allegedly attacked and injured a 28-year-old Green Party campaign worker nearby.
According to police information on Saturday, the four young men are estimated to be between 17 and 20 years old. According to witnesses, they were dressed in dark clothing, a police spokesman said. A witness assigned her to the right-wing spectrum.
Saxony’s Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) said in response: “We will continue the investigation meticulously and keep the pressure up.” He could also “only encourage the other perpetrators to report to the police.” We will not tolerate such a “brutal attack on election workers and politicians, but also on the foundations of our democracy and the conduct of free elections,” emphasized Schuster.
Ecke will probably continue his election campaign
Ecke is expected to continue his campaign after recovery. “It can be assumed that Matthias Ecke will continue his election campaign,” said the SPD Saxony upon request. However, that is not the aspect that is currently in the foreground.
Video | After an attack on SPD politicians: Esken with a touching gesture
What: Reuters
Since the attack, the party has felt a lot of solidarity, said a spokesman. “We strengthen and support each other. There is a sense that the democratic spectrum is coming together.” We stand together particularly with the Greens, and there has also been a lot of support from the CDU. The party received many offers of help, and Matthias Ecke personally received countless messages.
Attacks against politicians are currently increasing
Immediately before and after the attacks in Dresden, there were numerous other attacks against politicians and election campaigners. On Thursday evening, Green Party member of the Bundestag Kai Gehring and his party colleague Rolf Fliß, the city’s third mayor, were attacked in Essen. The latter was injured in the face.
Feaser plans interior minister conference
In addition, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) became active: the federal and state interior ministers should discuss protective measures very soon. According to a media report, she suggested a special conference next week. She made a corresponding request to the current chairman of the Conference of Interior Ministers, Brandenburg’s department head Michael Stübgen (CDU), as the “Tagesspiegel” reported, citing government circles. Meanwhile, two alliances called for this Sunday under the motto “Violence has no place in our democracy!” to spontaneous demonstrations in Berlin and Dresden.
In Berlin there will be a protest in front of the Brandenburg Gate from 6 p.m., in Dresden from 5 p.m. at Pohlandplatz, as stated in the Instagram posts published on Saturday evening by the Internet portal “Together Against the Right” and the alliance “We are the Firewall Dresden”. The alliances had already called for demonstrations against the right in February.
