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Anyone who makes common cause with right-wing extremists does not represent legitimate interests. The protesters in Berlin were discredited. The subsequent distancing comes too late.
A comment from Wenke Börnsen, tagesschau.de
The virus is a democratic imposition, Angela Merkel has emphasized several times, and she is right. The rights to freedom are restricted, everyday life is turned upside down. All of this can be criticized, as well as individual actions by the federal and state governments. You can question the proportionality of the restrictions or even doubt Corona as a whole and take to the streets for this conviction: that is democracy and you can resist it.
Even if the images of the demonstrations in Berlin are a democratic imposition. Not only because many protesters are obviously completely indifferent as to whether their behavior contributes to the spread of the virus and therefore puts other people in danger.
Marching alongside right-wing extremists
Above all, the protesters have shown that they don’t care if they march with right-wing extremists. They tolerated the Reich war flags in their ranks, there was no public distancing, no protest before or during the demonstration. And with that they discredited themselves. Anyone who makes common cause with right-wing extremists does not represent legitimate interests. Or, as Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier puts it: “My understanding ends when the protesters let themselves be hitched to the carts of anti-democratic and political agitators.
The fact that the ultimate “lateral thinker”, Michael Ballweg, is now publicly distancing himself from the right-wing extremist march and violence in front of the Reichstag is not only too late, but also too cheap. Why were the Nazis not declared undesirable during or before the demonstration?
Targeted mobilization
Rather, it was clear what was to come. No one can say that they knew nothing about the Nazis. Right-wing extremists mingled with protesters in the first “lateral thinking” rally on August 1, this time even calling for a “storm in Berlin.” For weeks they have been mobilizing their supporters selectively: citizens of the Reich, former members of the NPD, identities, but also members of the right wing of the AfD. United in the fight against the “system”, Corona’s protest comes in handy. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution has long been warning that right-wing extremists are trying to subvert the protests and make the ideas of right-wing extremists compatible.
Differences with the refugee crisis
It is the same mechanism as at the time of the refugee crisis. Five years ago there was much uncertainty and vague fears, an ideal breeding ground for enemies of the constitution.
But there are crucial differences by then: if in 2015/2016 the federal government and especially Angela Merkel were accused of explaining very little about their policy and therefore of having facilitated the emergence of “Pegida” and AfD in retrospect, now No doubt about that. be. Hardly a day goes by when Merkel fails to explain her Corona policy, justify measures or a change of course, sometimes alone in television speeches or more recently in her summer PK, often together with the Prime Minister.
The vast majority support crown requirements
Yes, the virus is disturbing, the restrictions are tough for individual population groups, on the level of human interaction, but also financially for many people. Who does not long for his life before the crown? But the virus is a reality and remains a danger to everyone’s health until drugs or vaccines are available. The vast majority of the population in Germany live with this reality, support the Corona measures according to DeutschlandTrend or even think that they do not go far enough. Only eleven percent reject the conditions as too far-reaching. It’s still a lot of people, as the demonstrations in Berlin showed, but it’s definitely not the majority.
