News analysis

The bitter truth behind unrest in eastern Germany

Right-wing protesters face to face with police in Chemnitz on Saturday. The writer notes that expressing right-wing views seems to be socially acceptable again, following the entry of the far right AfD party in the Bundestag.
Right-wing protesters face to face with police in Chemnitz on Saturday. The writer notes that expressing right-wing views seems to be socially acceptable again, following the entry of the far right AfD party in the Bundestag. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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A German citizen is killed in Chemnitz in Saxony, eastern Germany. The two suspects are of foreign origin. False news spreads on social media and before long, the homicide becomes the rallying point against refugees.

Within hours, a violent crowd is gathering, chanting xenophobic slogans and aggressively chasing people who look foreign. The local police is overstretched and unable to control the scene.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 03, 2018, with the headline The bitter truth behind unrest in eastern Germany. Subscribe