[ad_1]
Police calls for an investigation into racism were strong. Now the federal government has agreed to a compromise: racism is being scrutinized in society, and therefore also by security authorities.
After weeks of bickering over a scientific investigation of the attitudes of right-wing extremists in the police, there is now a compromise in the coalition. As announced by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, in addition to a study on racism in society, there will be an additional study on difficulties and frustration in daily life for security officers.
This study should also address violence and hatred against police officers, Seehofer said, so that there is a “reasonable balance.” Seehofer had already spoken out in favor of such an investigation when the status report was submitted to right-wing extremism two weeks ago.
Analyze the relationship between the police and society
The deal came at a meeting between Seehofer, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday. An internal document reads: “Our police officers should not be left alone with their experiences. There is no tolerance for extremism, racism and anti-Semitism.” Therefore, the planned study should examine “how this statement can also be lived in the future.”
Seehofer emphasized that he continues to reject a study that is based on widespread police suspicion of right-wing extremism. He does not want a study that is conducted “with complaints and complaints against the police.” There is no problem of structural racism with the police. More than 99 percent of employees are firmly committed to the constitution.
Commitment to the Foreign Ministry
Vice Chancellor Scholz already had Monday night WDR announced that there would be a study. “We are still thinking about what to call them,” said the SPD politician. He exchanges ideas with Seehofer “every other day.”
Scholz explained to the WDR In addition, in a study it is difficult to find a way that makes it possible “for the incredibly large majority of police officers who do a good job to try very hard and do everything well, not feel like they are destined.”
Wide demand for research
After police officers discovered far-right chat groups in several federal states, the SPD demanded a comprehensive study on racism from the police. The Greens, the FDP and the Left Party also called for such an investigation. Several ministers of the interior of the state announced their own studies. Seehofer had rejected such a study.
At the end of September, the police union (GdP) made its own proposal, to which Seehofer is now obviously referring. He advocated an “investigation of the daily life of the police”, to document the charges, but also to find out why “prejudices against certain social groups” sometimes solidified among individual officers and what can be done about it.
The union welcomed Seehofer’s announcement. With a study on widespread racism and an investigation into everyday police life there is the possibility to analyze everyday police life in the context of the cases discovered, said Vice President Jörg Radek. In this way, it could be clarified what causes exist for extremist behavior and thinking. According to Seehofer, Radek will now sit on an advisory council that will accompany the investigation.
SPD praises U-turn, AfD talks “buckling”
The vice chairman of the SPD parliamentary group, Dirk Wiese, declared that it was “good and timely that the federal interior minister, Seehofer, has resigned from his blocking position.” It is thanks to Scholz that there was a breakthrough.
The leader of the FDP parliamentary group, Stephan Thomae, called for the project to be implemented quickly. “A study on racism within the police force has been long needed, with new incidents occurring almost every week,” he said. Thomae explained that in no way should there be a compromise formula on the part of the grand coalition whose gain in knowledge tends to zero. “Then the study would be a total cancellation.”
The AfD accused Seehofer of having yielded to the SPD. For weeks, the interior minister had ensured that there would be no study of racism, party leader Tino Chrupalla said. “Now it gives in under pressure from Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”
Protection of the constitution should have more powers
At the meeting at the Chancellery, according to “Spiegel”, there was also an agreement on the supervisory powers of the federal intelligence services. In the future, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the Federal Intelligence Service and the Military Counterintelligence Service should be able to reproduce suspicious Trojans on mobile phones in order to record encrypted messages and calls through applications such as WhatsApp.
Left-wing parliamentary director Jan Korte described the two agreements on police scrutiny and secret service powers as a “dirty deal that is at the expense of people’s civil liberties.”
