More Politically Motivated Crimes in Germany: Peak in Violent Offenses Since 2016

At the presentation of the statistics, Dobrindt stated: "Im Vorjahr waren mehr als 84.000 politisch motivierte Straftaten festgestellt worden – so viele wie nie zuvor." The figure has since risen again. "Die Polizei hat im vergangenen Jahr bundesweit 85.837 politisch motivierte Straftaten registriert – rund zwei Prozent mehr als 2024", the minister said. In that year, the Interior Ministry was still led by Nancy Faeser (SPD).

Right-Wing Spectrum Remains Largest Area

About half of the registered offenses were attributed to the right-wing spectrum. In total, around 42,544 crimes were attributable to the right-wing category, including 22,159 hate crimes, which rose by 1.8 percent compared to the previous year. The largest subgroup was xenophobia with 19,484 cases, followed by anti-Semitic crimes, which increased by five percent to 6,548 cases. Dobrindt said: "Das zeige, dass die größte Gefahr weiterhin vom Rechtsextremismus ausgehe."

At the same time, Dobrindt emphasized that right-wing extremist perpetrators "mit Abstand die meisten Gewaltdelikte" among politically motivated crimes. The police assumed a right-wing motive in 1,598 of a total of 4,156 politically motivated violent crimes, corresponding to an increase of just under 7.4 percent. Of the particularly serious offenses, just under 1,600 were attributed to right-wing and right-wing extremist perpetrators, as Dobrindt explained.

Sharp Increase in Left-Wing Violent Offenses

According to the statistics, a significant portion of the increase is due to crimes from the left-wing spectrum. Left-wing politically motivated crimes rose by 35.29 percent to 13,490 cases, as Dobrindt explained. The increase was particularly pronounced in left-wing motivated violent offenses: they rose by just under 43 percent to 1,087 cases. More than half of left-wing crimes involved property damage. BKA President Münch stated that left-wing extremist violence is mainly expressed through resistance against police officers and arson.

The authorities also recorded an increase in religiously motivated crimes. "Bei religiös motivierten Straftaten verzeichneten die Sicherheitsbehörden eine Zunahme um 5,7 Prozent auf 1.983 Fälle", it was said. Religiously motivated violent offenses increased by about 13 percent, but remained at a low level overall with 98 cases. On average, more than one crime per week was registered against a synagogue.

Hate Crime and Anti-Semitic Offenses

There was a decrease of 6.2 percent to 6,886 cases in crimes motivated by foreign ideology. In contrast, the number of violent crimes presumably motivated by foreign ideology fell by about 28 percent to 704. A decline was also observed in violent offenses that could not be clearly assigned: they fell by just under 16 percent to 669 violent offenses. The total number of politically motivated violent offenses nevertheless rose slightly, reaching 4,156 cases — the highest level since 2016.

According to the BKA's assessment, hate crime represents a growing problem. "Der größte Bereich war mit mehr als 22.000 Fällen die Hasskriminalität", Dobrindt explained. One third of these took place on the internet. Cases classified as misogynistic hate crime rose from 558 to 819 offenses, an increase of nearly 47 percent. Münch attributed this, among other things, to a glorified image of masculinity on social media and spoke of a "more classic image of men" that goes hand in hand with a greater willingness to use violence.

Crimes against police officers increased by almost five percent to 5,144 cases, with more than one fifth classified as violent offenses. Most attacks on police officers were attributed to the left-wing spectrum, followed by right-wing perpetrators. Politically motivated violent offenses against politicians, on the other hand, declined, from 122 to 85 cases.

Polarization as Driver of the Development

BKA President Münch pointed to social polarization as the central cause of the development. "Das kann zu einer Radikalisierung führen, die sich durch Gewalttaten gegenüber Andersdenkenden oder dem politischen System äußert", he said. "Internationale Konfliktlagen emotionalisieren auch in Deutschland." Almost half of anti-Semitic hate crime is linked to the Middle East conflict. Münch stated that the "Fundament der Demokratie" is being attacked and named social media as a key driver: "Wesentliche Treiber seien Soziale Medien, über die Hass, Hetze und Propaganda verbreitet würden."

Münch also warned that the digital spread of hate can escalate into the most serious crimes. "Dies führe im schlimmsten Fall auch zu schweren Straftaten im analogen Bereich", the BKA chief said. Dobrindt described it as "erschreckend" that the willingness to use violence is increasing particularly among young perpetrators. The authorities spoke of a serious warning signal.

Political Reactions and Legislation

As a consequence of the development, Dobrindt announced a joint "Sicherheitsoffensive von Bund und Ländern". "Wir reden von Tausenden Kommunalpolitikerinnen, die wir schützen wollen, die dringend gebraucht werden", the minister said. Together with Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD), he will prepare a draft law intended to better equip the police and the domestic intelligence service and to enable higher penalties for violence against emergency personnel. "Ich glaube an die abschreckende Wirkung des Strafrechts", Dobrindt said.

In addition, the Interior Minister defended Section 188 of the Criminal Code, which provides special protection to politicians against insult and defamation. The original purpose of this provision is the protection of those engaged in local politics, and this focus should be retained. At the same time, Dobrindt warned against downplaying the left-wing extremist scene: the increase in offenses from the left-wing spectrum was particularly sharp at 35 percent. Left-wing extremism is a "deutlich wachsende Bedrohung".

The statistics cover politically motivated crime in various phenomenon areas, including right-wing extremism, left-wing extremism, foreign ideology, and religious ideology. The authorities emphasized that the figures only reflect the cases recorded by police, known as the "Hellfeld." The actual number of politically motivated assaults and crimes is likely to be significantly higher according to experts.

The news was broadcast on June 9, 2026 on Deutschlandfunk. The presentation of the statistics in Berlin marks the start of a political debate about the tightening of criminal law and the better protection of elected officials, police officers, and vulnerable groups.

With a view to the coming years, the BKA announced that it will continue to closely monitor the development of politically motivated crime. The focus will be on the connection between online propaganda and physical violence, the influence of international conflicts on the security situation in Germany, and the increasing willingness of younger perpetrators to use violence. Dobrindt and Münch called for a society-wide effort against radicalization and hate.

The statistics also pointed out that the number of offenses in individual phenomenon areas sometimes fluctuates sharply. While declines were recorded in the area of foreign ideology and in offenses that could not be assigned, the figures rose in the right-wing, left-wing, and religious spectrum. According to Münch, the overall trend is characterized by a growing acceptance of politically motivated violence, which endangers democratic coexistence.