Arrest in Dortmund: Reich citizen plans assassination attempts on politicians!

Arrest in Dortmund: Reich citizen plans assassination attempts on politicians!

Today, November 11, 2025, there was a shocking incident in Dortmund. The Federal Prosecutor's Office has arrested a 49-year-old suspected right-wing extremist from the so-called "Reichsbürger" scene. He was suspected of planning assassination attempts on politicians. Loud daily news The man even created a website on the darknet called “Politician Assassination” and was used to coordinate murder orders. The site has now been shut down by the Federal Criminal Police Office.

What is particularly disturbing is that the accused also made his intentions clear on this platform: he planned to collect money from like-minded people on the dark web in order to pay assassins. Through such activities he has been classified as an enemy of democracy and is directly linked to the extremist orientation of the Reich Citizens' Movement. He had been known to the security authorities since 2020 - among other things because of resistance actions during the Corona protests. Federal Prosecutor General Jens Rommel sees the case as an important matter and has taken over the investigation.

A network of extremists

But who are these Reich citizens? The scene is not only diverse in its ideologies, but also divided in its implementation strategies. Some supporters believe in the continued existence of the German Empire of 1871, while others disagree about how to achieve their goals. Loud bpb We see a worrying trend in this movement: Due to the corona pandemic and the internet, they have gained influence and linked themselves to the lateral thinker movement.

A prominent event in the scene was the big meeting on April 6, 2024 in Gera, which took place with around a thousand participants. According to reports, it included not only speeches and flag marches, but also a press office for journalists. Matthes Haug, an influential orator, propagated the movement's ideas, while Henry XIII. Prince Reuss, another key player, is in prison for a suspected coup plot.

The dangers of the Reich citizen scene

The security authorities have long underestimated the dangers posed by Reich citizens. Their perception has changed from ridiculed outsiders to serious players. Conspiracy narratives are central to the appeal of this movement. In recent years, clear connections have become apparent between Reich citizens and the AfD. Here we can rightly say: There is something important for society, but also for our politicians, who are threatened by such extreme views.

The information about the arrested man's activities came from the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. After the arrest, he will now be taken to the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, where a possible arrest warrant will be decided. What is certain is that dealing with this violent scene represents not only a political but also a social challenge.