SPD's Matthias Ecke Seriously Injured in Dresden Campaign Attack
Matthias Ecke, the Social Democratic Party's lead candidate for the European Parliament election in Saxony, was attacked and sustained serious injuries while hanging up campaign posters in Dresden. The assault took place on Friday evening, and it resulted in Ecke requiring emergency surgery for his injuries. According to reports, the attackers were a group of young men, believed to be far-right extremists, who also targeted a member of the Green Party in the vicinity.
This violent incident adds to a string of political tensions and confrontations ahead of the European Parliament elections, with various parties, including the Greens and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), experiencing physical and verbal attacks. Political leaders across the spectrum have condemned the attack on Ecke, with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Saxony’s State Premier Michael Kretschmer labeling it a "new dimension of anti-democratic violence."
In response to the rising violence, parties are stepping up security measures, advising campaigners to work in groups to mitigate further attacks. The State Criminal Police Office’s Violent Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident, while political figures, including SPD federal chairpersons Saskia Esken and Lars Klingbeil, have emphasized the attack's implications for democracy and the rule of law.
