The kidnapping of a nationally known person by a 38-year-old German gives food for thought.
When does justified criticism of measures turn into violent action? Recording of a demonstration against compulsory vaccination in Germany.
It is news that disturbs and deeply affects: A man with connections to conspiracy theorists, corona deniers and opponents of vaccination kidnapped a nationally known personality. He holds her in his power for several hours and threatens her with a gun. Afterwards he releases her. The name of the victim may not be mentioned due to a super-provisional injunction by the Zurich District Court.
When a special unit apprehended the kidnapper at his home in Wallisellen a few days after the incident, he drew a gun and was shot by the police. Shortly thereafter, a second person is arrested, presumably his business partner.
Although many questions remain unanswered and the motives are unclear, there are indications that the 38-year-old German deliberately chose his victim. As a representative of the state, as part of the “corona dictatorship”, as the extreme critics of the measures have exaggeratedly insulted Switzerland in the past two years.
If the indications are more concentrated, the kidnapping is at the (temporary) end of a dangerous spiral of escalation, which should be on the radar of the police and intelligence services at the latest after this act. When conspiracy theorists no longer just send out confused tweets and posts on social networks, but arm themselves, network, call for violent actions and even carry them out, all alarm bells must ring. No restriction of fundamental rights, as we have experienced in the last two years, justifies the violence used by the perpetrator from Wallisellen.
Memories are brought back to state-destroying terrorist groups such as the Red Army faction with their politically motivated kidnappings and commandos in Germany in the 1970s. Such developments must be countered with all the consistency and severity of the law.
Politicians, experts, journalists – they have all made mistakes and misjudgements in the last two Corona years. It is right that these are named and criticized. In a functioning democracy, like Switzerland has always been despite the corona restrictions, this is possible and important. However, violence and threats are the means of extremists. They don’t fit in a country where even federal councilors – at least before Corona – could mingle with the people without bodyguards.
It’s thought-provoking when the Fedpol according to the Tamedia newspapers since the pandemic, many more cases of threats and potential threats to others against protected persons such as high-ranking politicians, judges or administrative employees have been registered than before (64 reports in 2020, 18 in 2019). The federal intelligence service observes that some of the opponents of the Corona measures “advocate, promote or practice” acts of violence. This development has to be taken seriously – even if the total number of radicalized people is likely to be small.