German raids target extremist around Prince Reuss

Police are searching properties in three German states belonging to suspected supporters of the far-right Reich Citizens group, a public prosecutor spokeswoman said on Tuesday.

A large contingent of police has been searching 10 properties in the states of Baden-Württemberg, Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein since early Tuesday morning, according to the spokeswoman.

There have been repeated raids targeting the Reich Citizens group, which allegedly planned to violently overthrow the German government. Various suspected members, including suspected ringleader Prince Heinrich XIII of Reuss, are currently on trial.

Tuesday's raids were directed against two suspects from Baden-Württemberg who are accused of supporting a domestic terrorist organization, the spokeswoman added.

The two suspects, a man aged 73 and a 63-year-old woman, are suspected of having made premises in Saxony available to the group for the organization of recruitment events at the turn of the year 2021/2022.

The woman accused also allegedly gave a car to one of the suspected members in autumn 2021.

More than 700 police officers are involved in the search measures.

Reichsbürger, or "Citizens of the Reich," claim the historical German Reich, founded in 1871 with an emperor at the head, continues to exist and did not end with Germany's defeat in World War II in 1945.

They do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany, or its constitutional structures such as parliament. They also do not believe they should pay taxes, fines or social security contributions.

Germany's domestic intelligence service estimates there are around 23,000 people in the scene.

The coup plot was uncovered during a large-scale anti-terror raid in December 2022.