The Hanau attack is not an isolated incident. It fits into a long series of racist and anti-Semitic acts of violence. Since 1990, at least 213 people have fallen victim to this right-wing terror.
The breeding ground for hatred and exclusion is cultivated in the heart of society. The findings regarding right-wing extremist structures within the police and the armed forces are one example of this. Racism is not a characteristic unique to the AfD and other right-wing extremist organizations.
As long as racism, antisemitism, sexism, and all other ideologies of alleged human inequality are not condemned in every form, perpetrators can continue to see themselves as executors of a supposed "will of the people." Silence is not an option.
We know that in Hanau, not only individual but also structural flaws were the root cause of the perpetrator's ability to murder so many people.
The police emergency number was unreachable for those affected; no call forwarding was set up, and no one was called back, not even Mr. Păun, who pursued the perpetrator. The emergency exit of the Arena Bar was also locked, and there are indications that this was done on police orders. Both the perpetrator and his father had previously filed several criminal complaints, in which they ranted about "constant foreign crime" and "high treason against Germans." They were not under surveillance. On the contrary: The perpetrator was a member of shooting clubs and legally owned three firearms.
The RAV demands a full and thorough investigation into all official errors and a decisive fight against all forms of state and structural racism. The bereaved must be given every opportunity to process their experiences and rebuild their lives. They and the friends of the murdered victims have our unconditional solidarity. This also means: Hanau is everywhere.
