German city declares ‘Nazi emergency’ via symbolic resolution

A “Nazi emergency” has been declared in Dresden, Germany — a mostly symbolic move to call attention to what one local councillor called “right-wing” and “extremist” incidents over the years, say news reports.

Councillor Max Aschenbach of Die Partei (translation: The Party) told CNN and BBC that the symbolic resolution was passed on Wednesday by city councillors in the east German city that saw the birth of the anti-Islam Pegida movement back in 2013.

Dresden is located in the state of Saxony, where the far-right Alternative for Deutschland (AfD) made strong gains in this year’s regional election. 

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Founded in 2004, Die Partei is a parody party headed by a former satirical magazine editor, according to Euro News/Agence France Press. In a translated Facebook post Friday, the party called the resolution’s passing a “first step in the right direction.”

Aschenbach told CNN that the word “Nazinotstand” is “an exaggerated formulation for the fact that there is a serious problem — similar to the climate emergency — with right-wing extremism right up the middle of society.”

The resolution passed with 39 votes for, 29 against, according to the BBC, which cited local media reports. Germany’s Christian Democrats voted against the resolution, with a representative calling it “primarily an intended provocation.”

The resolution notes that “right-wing extremist attitudes and actions” are taking place more frequently. It also calls upon Dresden to come to the aid of victims of far-right violence, reported the BBC. 

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Aschenbach said the resolution is meant to display commitment to a “democratic, open, pluralistic society,” according to CNN. 

The CDU representative, Jan Donhauser, chairman of the CDU City Council Group, told the BBC that prioritizing right-wing extremism “does not do justice to what we need.”

“We are the guardians of the liberal-democratic basic order and no violence, no matter from which extremist side it comes, is compatible with it,” he told the British broadcaster.

In Canada, the former public safety minister said in August of this year that the federal government is “concerned” about white supremacy leading to acts of terrorism domestically and internationally.

This past summer, the Canadian government placed right-wing extremist groups on its list of outlawed terrorist organizations.

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