Matthias Ecke – the leading candidate of the Saxon Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the European Parliament elections was attacked while putting up posters. Ecke was seriously injured. A 17-year-old man admitted to the beating. Three more young people are wanted. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz condemned the attack and said similar incidents “threaten democracy.”
On Friday in Dresden, four young people attacked the leading candidate of the Saxon Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) in the European elections, Matthias Ecke, while putting up election posters. The politician was seriously injured and had to undergo surgery.
The attack on SPD candidate Matthias Ecke is part of a series of attacks in Saxony on politicians before the elections to the European Parliament (June 2024) and the Saxon federal parliament (September 2024). On Thursday, two Green politicians were attacked in Essen. Earlier, similar attacks on the Greens took place in Chemnitz and Zwickau.
The police reported that one of the suspects reported to the police station in Dresden on the night from Saturday to Sunday. The 17-year-old claims that he was the perpetrator. This statement is currently being analyzed as part of the investigation. Police said the teenager had no previous convictions. The young man is not currently in custody as there is no risk of him escaping.
Matthias Ecke was attacked on FridayReuters
Three men wanted
Three other suspects are still being sought. According to the criminal police, all suspects are young men aged 17-20. The Saxon SPD reported that on the night of the attack, there were attempts to intimidate other posters and destroy the posters.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented on the attack in Dresden. He emphasized that similar incidents “threaten democracy.”
“Attacks like the one against MEP Matthias Ecke and other candidates threaten our democracy. We must oppose it together. I wish Matthias Ecke a speedy recovery,” Scholz wrote on the X platform (formerly Twitter). German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also condemned the attack.
Main photo source: Reuters