Germany’s Interior Ministry banned the right-wing extremist Compact magazine, it said on Tuesday.
Authorities searched properties related to the magazine in four German states: Brandenburg, Hesse, Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. The aim of the raid was to confiscate assets and evidence, the ministry said.
The ban also applies to Compact’s subsidiary Conspect Film, and prohibits any continuation of previous activities.
Why was Compact magazine banned?
“It is a central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene. This magazine incites hatred against Jews, people with a history of migration and our parliamentary democracy in an unspeakable manner,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.
The ban shows “that we are also taking action against the intellectual arsonists who are stirring up a climate of hatred and violence against refugees and migrants and want to overcome our democratic state,” Faeser added.
“Our message is very clear: we will not allow ethnicity to define who belongs to Germany and who does not.”
Compact magazine was classified by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution as extremist, nationalist and anti-minority in 2021.
What is Compact magazine?
The magazine’s holding company is run by Jürgen Elsässer. It has a circulation of 40,000 copies and an online video channel, Compact TV.
The company also operates an online store for merchandise, such as a coin with the image of Björn Höcke, the far-right politician from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party who was recently convicted and fined for using a Nazi slogan.
The AfD has described the ban as a “serious blow to press freedom.”
“We are observing these events with great concern,” said party leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla. “Banning a press organ means a denial of discourse and diversity of opinion.”
In 2020, Meta’s Facebook and Instagram social media platforms removed Compact magazine’s accounts over hate speech.
fb/rmt (AFP, dpa, Reuters, EPD)
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