Corona-Demo Berlin: when cops talk about slavery through masks

Position: 31.08.2020 | Reading time: 5 minutes

yesThe Ayern Interior Ministry has announced an inspection of the appearances of three Bavarian policemen at the demonstration against the Corona measures in Berlin. Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) announced it. Freelance journalist Robert Andreasch had previously distributed photographs showing the three policemen as speakers at the large-scale demonstration of the “lateral thinking 711” initiative.

Speakers were Chief Inspector of Police Bernd Bayerlein from Weißenburg, Criminal Inspector Wolfgang Kauth from Augsburg and retired Chief Inspector of Police Karl Hilz from Munich. Bayerlein and Hilz had previously appeared at demonstrations by crown skeptics. In addition to people from the bourgeois and esoteric spectrum, numerous right-wing extremists and so-called citizens of the Reich participated in the Berlin meeting on Saturday. The event was shaped by supporters of the conspiracy myths.

In his speech, Kauth spoke of a “supposed pandemic” and requested information not only from the “mainstream media” but also from the so-called alternative media. The police officer is deployed in Augsburg at the police station for property crimes. Police headquarters in Swabia North announced that Kauth would only be used in the office with no external contacts until the process was verified.

Bayerlein announced in his speech that he will continue to “fight for justice, freedom and truth.” He had previously performed on August 8 at a show in Augsburg. Through the spread of fear and horror through politics and the media, Germany had become a true state of informing the people, the police officer said at the time. Essential information would be suppressed by the “open press.”

After his first appearance, disciplinary proceedings were initiated against Bayerlein, and the then leader of the service group was transferred to the back room. The police headquarters in Middle Franconia announced that the subsequent behavior of the officer will be included in the outcome of the disciplinary procedure. Until the evaluation is completed, the officer will not be employed either as a manager or in the citizen contact service. More recently, Bayerlein gave an interview to the ideological conspiracy portal “KenFM”.

Hilz appeared with a white rose in hand. “I hope that my colleagues who are still on duty will respect the Basic Law and, if necessary, will demonstrate when politicians order them to do things that contradict our fundamental values, our fundamental rights,” she said in her speech. “Wearing masks is enslaved and no longer allows people to communicate normally with each other.”

The Bavarian Center for Research and Information on Antisemitism recognizes that the use of the white rose is a trivialization of National Socialism. “In doing so, she compares current measures against the spread of the coronavirus to National Socialism and envisions herself and the ‘protesters’ in the role of the White Rose student resistance group,” says Director Annette Seidel-Arpaci. “This makes fun of the victims of National Socialism.” At meetings in Munich and Passau, Hilz had previously demanded that a constitution be presented to the people for ratification. This refers to the ideology of the so-called Reichsbürger, according to which the Basic Law is not a constitution.

“The cops have nothing to do there”

“Especially when it comes to the ideology of Reich citizenship or whether the person in question needs to settle in an extremist milieu, we will pull out all the levers to impose tough sanctions,” said Bavarian Interior Minister Herrmann. Here, the freedom of expression of retired police officers has clear limits. “I do not understand anything”.

There are also criticisms from the state parliament. “Such appearances are extremely problematic, because in the events there is a dangerous mix of right-wing extremists, anti-Semites, conspiracy ideologues, anti-vaccination and company,” said the leader of the Green parliamentary group Katharina Schulze. “And right in the middle as speakers, the Bavarian policemen who are supposed to defend the basic free democratic order.” As an employer, the Bavarian interior minister should have taken clear steps earlier and done everything possible to prevent such appearances from occurring, Schulze said.

“Police officers have no place in a demonstration dominated by enemies of democracy and citizens of the Reich,” said Florian Ritter, an expert on right-wing extremism in the Bavarian SPD parliamentary group. Participation alone is problematic. “The statements made by Mr. Kauth and Mr. Hilz also go well beyond the requirement of restraint. It is extremely alarming. ” The police officers pledged to protect the constitution. Running in line with enemies of the constitution in your spare time should not be tolerated and should have serious consequences.

The officers’ appearances also draw criticism within the police. “We, as the Police Union (GdP), classify these appearances as very questionable and useless,” said GdP Bavaria Vice President Peter Pytlik. Of course, as citizens, police officers also have the right to freedom of expression and assembly. Here, however, a necessary degree of neutrality and restraint must take place. “The appearances are likely to damage the reputation of the police in public and possibly make it difficult for the police to intervene in crown demonstrations,” Pytlik continued.

In addition to the three Bavarian policemen, Chief Detective Michael Fritsch from Hannover also appeared on the scene of the “Lateral Thinking 711”. Due to a speech in front of opponents of the Crown measures on August 9 in Dortmund, in which he drew parallels with National Socialism, he was released from service for the time being. Fritsch was responsible for security concepts for Jewish communities in Lower Saxony; his speech had caused concern there. Regarding his suspension, he said on Saturday in Berlin: “Yes, it was worth it. I would do that over and over with you and for you. “