German Anti-Vaxxers Plotted To Assasinate State Premier Amid Pandemic Response Pushback

A plot to kill a German Premier spearheaded by a group of anti-vaxxers was discovered and foiled by German police forces on Wednesday, Dec. 15, as the anti-vaccine sentiment from the far-right groups of Germany grows due to the government’s policy on the unvaccinated.

Michael Kretschmer, the leader of Saxony in Germany, was reportedly the target of an assassination plot of a group called “Dresden Offlinevernetzung,” roughly translating to “Dresden offline network.” Communications were discovered by police in their Telegram that indicated the group had weapons, which was confirmed after an investigation, according to ABC News Australia.

At least one woman and five men have been arrested for the plot, with multiple pieces of evidence linking them to the assassination attempt, including a crossbow that was being considered to be used by the group.

The anti-vaccine movement, largely led by far-right groups in Germany, has gained additional fervor due to a new policy by the government requiring vaccines from people working in hospitals, nursing homes, and the like by March 15 next year, NBC News reported.

An arson attack on a vaccination center in Saxony occurred in September, as well as a large, letter-writing campaign threatening public institutions of a supposed “resistance” that will push back against the measures, including implied violence against ministers and politicians in office.

“Of course you can say what you don't like. But when violence comes into play, it's over,” Kretschmer said in a statement to the press regarding the assassination plot. “A line has been crossed which we will not tolerate.”

Saxony has one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country with only over 62 percent of its citizens being fully vaccinated. It is also the home of the far-right political group Alternative for Germany, which has been calling for a ban on lockdowns and mandatory vaccinations.

In spite of the growing violence of the far-right groups, the German government has refused to back down from its vaccination policies to combat COVID-19, whose death toll has surpassed 100,000 in the country.

“We will not put up with a tiny minority of uninhibited extremists trying to force their will on our entire society,” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said.