Record number of politically motivated crimes in Germany in 2021

The number of politically motivated crimes in Germany in 2021 was higher than in any of the 20 previous years.

According to preliminary data from the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) released in answer to a question from a lawmaker, the number of politically motivated crimes in Germany in 2021 rose by around 6 per cent to 47,303.

This marks the highest level since the annual statistics were introduced in 2001.

If further cases are added, which is possible since the answer was responding to a query from January 5, the final figure could be even higher.

The cause of the rise is crimes that are categorized as neither left- or right-wing. Security officials think the tense social climate during the coronavirus pandemic has played a role.

The data showed a slight decline of around 6 per cent in violent crimes with a political background.

There were 1,047 violent crimes committed by suspects that police could not identify as supporters of right-wing, left-wing, Islamist or foreign ideology - the latter would include for example the Kurdish PKK's ideology.

By comparison: In the previous year, politically motivated suspects who were not assigned to any of the main known categories by the police committed 591 violent offences.

The majority of the 120 violent offences against public officials and elected representatives reported by the police in 2021 were also committed by people with a political background outside the main known groups.

Last year, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution established a new focus of investigation, namely into "delegitimization of the state relevant to the protection of the constitution."

This was the Cologne-based authority's reaction to the spread of conspiracy theories and anti-Semitic expressions connected to anti-coronavirus protests.