Four young men, 17–18 years old, are suspected of assaulting the German EU politician Matthias Ecke on Friday evening. At least one of the teenagers is part of the category “politically motivated – right-wing,†the police in the state of Saxony write platform X.
The Social Democrat Matthias Ecke was hanging up election posters in Dresden when he was attacked by several people, beaten and kicked. The assault led to the 41-year-old politician breaking a cheekbone and a bone in his eye socket, and had to undergo surgery.
Photo: Robert Michael/TT
On Monday, the chairman of the social democratic SPD, Kevin Kühnert, announced that the operation went well, but that Matthias Ecke will remain in the hospital for a few days.
– The recovery process will be long, he said in Berlin.
According to Kevin Kühnert, the party colleague is determined to resume the election campaign as soon as possible.
The attack on the politician has caused strong reactions in Germany. On Sunday, around 3,000 people gathered in Dresden to protest against violence and show their support for democracy. In Berlin, a demonstration with around 1,000 participants was organized in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
Shortly after the assault, the Brand New Bundestag initiative presented a petition that more than 6,700 politicians have signed. The politicians who signed the so-called “Striesen Declaration†promise to protect each other from attacks by the enemies of democracy and to contribute to a respectful political debate.
In addition to Matthias Ecke, a politician from the environmental party The Greens was also attacked in Dresden on Friday evening. A spokesperson for the police in Saxony tells DN that they will investigate whether the four teenagers were also guilty of it.
– Of course, it is easy to suspect that, she says.
Photo: Sebastian Kahnert/DPA
The suspects could be identified after one of them contacted the police himself during the night of Sunday. The 17-year-old appeared at a police station at 1am, together with his mother, and said he had beaten Matthias Ecke. A short time later, his three suspected accomplices could be arrested.
The police assess that the risk of the suspects fleeing or removing evidence is small. The teenagers have therefore not been arrested. On Sunday, the police searched the suspects’ houses and seized items that are considered evidence.
On Monday, Matthias Ecke wrote a post on the platform X, where he thanked for all the support. “In a democracy, no one should be afraid to speak their mind,†the politician wrote, and attached a picture of his bruised face.
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