Attacks by Corona deniers
Mayors are fighting back against death threats
2/19/2022, 5:07 p.m
From anonymous insults to torchlight processions in front of private homes – during the corona pandemic, local politicians are directly threatened by opponents of the measures. A group of young mayors sent out an open letter calling for help.
In a letter, 27 young mayors publicly pointed out attacks directed against them by radical opponents of the corona protection measures. “Since December, incidents that are unacceptable have been increasing,” says the letter, which the “Business Insider” portal reported. It also denounced torchlight processions in front of the private homes of local politicians.
According to the report, the letter complains of death threats online against mayors such as Christof Bolay, mayor of the Baden-Württemberg city of Ostfildern. Also mentioned is the case of the mayor of the Hessian city of Wetzlar, Manfred Wagner, who was placed under police protection at times after he had been threatened with “home visits”.
There were meetings of torchbearers in front of private residences at the Saxon Minister of Health Petra Köpping, but also at the Mayor of Halberstadt, Daniel Szarata. He was at home with his family last Monday when around 700 demonstrators, some of them right-wing extremists, came up in front of his house with torches and pyrotechnics.
“Overall, the municipalities are increasingly coming into focus,” the portal continues to quote from the letter. Insults and property damage were also denounced there. The letter was initiated by the “Network of Young Mayors”, which claims to have around 650 members.