Raid in Gießen: Compact ban in court-what now?

Raid in Gießen: Compact ban in court-what now?

The waves for the ban on the right -wing extremist magazine Compact, ordered by Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD), continue to hide up. In mid -July of this year there were extensive raids in Gießen, in which data carriers, cash, vehicles and even gold coins were confiscated by Jürgen Elsässer and his wife Stephanie. However, the legal framework for these measures has changed dramatically.

On August 15, 2024, the Federal Administrative Court ruled that Jürgen Elsässer, the founder of Compact, can spread his magazine again until the main hearing. This judgment not only collected the ban on the magazine, but also the consequence that all confiscated objects that were confiscated during the nationwide raids must be returned to the owners. Elionor Weber, spokeswoman for the Hessian State Criminal Police Office, confirmed on request that this also affects the items seized during the search in Gießen on July 16.

background of the raids and their legal cancellation

The house search carried out in Gießen took place in a semi -detached house in the Eichgärtenviertel. Jürgen Elsässer and his wife Stephanie, who is active in the scene, lived there. According to the raid, not only cash and gold coins, but also numerous storage media and political publications were secured as part of the raid. The golden collector coins, which were allegedly kept in a safe, place a light on the financial scope of the activities related to publication.

The search and the following measures met with considerable concerns among lawyers and media experts. Many considered Nancy Faeser's approach to rushed and the legal foundations were questionable. Faeser’s acting is judged to be politically awkward in particular in the upcoming elections in three East German federal states.

The political career of Stephanie Elsässer

dr. Stephanie Elsässer was once active in the CDU in Gießen and is considered a controversial figure in the political landscape. Her commitment to the local association Gießen-Ost and the Women's Union is described by some as confident, but it was also the goal of controversies, especially with regard to the 2015 refugee crisis. In 2017, she switched to the AfD and ran for the state election in her former constituency.

in connection with the ban on Compact and the role of Nancy Faeser expressed concerns of the German Journalist Association. They described the procedure as "political rapid shot" and pointed out that the judgment of the administrative court is a fundamental commitment to freedom of the press. The texts and positions of Compact can be considered aggressive, but the much most publications cannot be objected to from the perspective of freedom of expression.

The discussion about the ban and the raids throws a shadow on dealing with extreme views in the German media landscape and the associated legal questions. The outcome of the procedure could have far-reaching effects on the press and freedom of expression in Germany, since the Situation demonstrates how fragile the boundaries between the combating of extremism and the protection of fundamental rights are.