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Outrage in Germany over neo-Nazis’ political ‘kill list’

Chancellor Angela Merkel's government on Monday strongly condemned death threats against two leading Green party politicians by a neo-Nazi group, as concern mounts in Germany over a rise in right-wing extremism.

Outrage in Germany over neo-Nazis' political 'kill list'
The Greens' Cem Özdemir received a death threat in an email. Photo: DPA

Greens lawmaker Cem Özdemir, who has Turkish roots, revealed at the weekend that police were investigating an email he had received from a neo-Nazi group saying he was at the top of their kill list.

“We are currently planning how and when to execute you. At the next rally? Or will we get you outside your home?” the email read, according to the Funke newspaper group.

Fellow Greens MP Claudia Roth received a message saying she was second in line to be killed.

Both emails were sent on October 27th and signed with “Nuclear Weapon Division Germany” (AWD), apparently a German offshoot of a notorious US-based neo-Nazi group.

“The German government clearly condemns any kind of threats or violence against politicians,” Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer told reporters.

“We cannot and will not accept these attacks on our free democratic system,” she said, vowing to use the full force of the law against the perpetrators.

Speaking at the same press conference, Interior Ministry spokesman Steve Alter said federal security services “have already had this group in their sights for some time”.

The American version of the AWD, founded in 2015-2016, has been linked to five murders in the United States, he added.

The German branch is thought to count several dozen members.

'Highly problematic political climate'

The death threats come with German politicians already on alert following the murder last June of local pro-migrant politician Walter Lübcke in the western city of Kassel, allegedly by a known neo-Nazi.

In October, two people were shot dead in a far-right attack in the eastern city of Halle where the gunman first tried and failed to storm a packed synagogue.

And in regional elections in the state of Thuringia last month, Greens co-leader Robert Habeck and a local candidate from Merkel's CDU party received death threats on the campaign trail from suspected far-right extremists.

German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer on Monday warned of a “highly problematic coarsening” of the political climate in the country.

The government last week already proposed a raft of measures to crack down on the far-right, with a focus on targeting weapons sales and online hate speech.

During a visit to the eastern city of Zwickau on Monday, Merkel placed a single white rose at a memorial tree in honour of the victims of a neo-Nazi terror cell that killed 10 people between 2000 and 2007.

The government “would do everything in its power” to make sure “these things never happen again”, Merkel vowed.

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POLITICS

KEY POINTS: What to know about Germany’s partial legalisation of cannabis

Cannabis is to be partially freed for consumption in Germany starting April 1st. Why is this such a landmark legal reform, and what new rules and restrictions are in place?

KEY POINTS: What to know about Germany’s partial legalisation of cannabis

Why is this a historic moment?

The law decriminalises cannabis and legally recognises it as a non-narcotic. Germany will become the third European country, after Malta and Luxembourg, to legalise adult recreational use. And the law makes it one of the most liberal among developed economies. 

READ ALSO: Germany gives green light to partially legalise cannabis from April

Only Canada, whose law allows individuals to buy from licensed retailers and carry up to 30 grams of cannabis, is more permissive.  

The cannabis bill also lowers the barrier for doctors to prescribe medical marijuana to patients. It will now be considered a normal prescription instead of a narcotic. Previously patients needed to have a chronic illness or be seriously ill to get a prescription. 

What is the timeline for legalisation?

Beginning April 1st, adults will be allowed to carry up to 25 grams of cannabis for recreational use. They can also keep up to 50 grams of marijuana at home and grow up to three plants for personal use. Note that is three plants per person, not per household. 

On July 1st, adults can begin joining “cannabis social clubs” where they can receive monthly allotments of marijuana. And in the future, the bill lays out a plan to test out municipal five-year pilot programs for state-controlled cannabis to be sold in licensed shops. 

Can cannabis be purchased in Germany after April 1st?

There is no way to buy cannabis directly, as it won’t be available for general purchase in a store. Instead, you can grow the plant yourself or join a cannabis club this summer. The cannabis clubs can begin growing cannabis on July 1st. 

What will cannabis clubs do?

Cannabis clubs can have up to 500 members. Clubs can give members 25 grams of cannabis per day and up to 50 grams of the plant per month. For members under 22 years old, clubs can allot up to 30 grams of cannabis per month. 

For cultivation club members between 18 and 21-year-olds the level of THC -the substance in cannabis that gives you the “high” – will be limited to help minimise the impact of marijuana use on developing brains. 

Cannabis in Dresden

Martin Reuter, head of the Sanaleo shop for CBD products in Dresden’s Neustadt, holds a cannabis flower for sale in his hands. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Robert Michael

Clubs cannot sell weed to their members, but they are allowed to charge membership fees. Under the law, all excess production must be destroyed. 

Cannabis social clubs can set their own requirements for membership so long as the minimum age of membership is 18 and members can prove German residency. The law also gives states the ability to limit the number of clubs according to population density. 

Can you consume cannabis in public?

Yes, but there are some parameters. You cannot consume weed within 100 metres of schools, sports facilities or around minors. You can also only smoke cannabis in public between the hours of 8pm and 7am. 

How does the public feel about the law?

Germans remain divided on the new legislation with 47 percent in favour of the plans and 42 percent against the legalisation, according to a YouGov poll published on Friday March 22nd.

The law was also met with sharp criticism from doctors, legal professionals and representatives from some of the nation’s 16 federal states. The conservative CDU and CSU parties expressed consistent opposition to the bill on the Bundestag floor. 

READ ALSO: Why is Germany’s cannabis draft law so controversial?

What happens if you break the rules?

Minors who are caught consuming cannabis will be required to take part in prevention programmes. It is unclear what rules will apply to cannabis in road traffic, shipping and air traffic because it is still under review by expert committees.  

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