Left-wing activists are suspected of being behind the arson attack that left the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party hospitalised.
Tino Chrupalla, 44, was apparently injured after trying to put out a blaze that destroyed his wife’s VW Caddy car. She reportedly used the vehicle which included child seats to take their 3 children to the school and nursery.
His injuries were mainly related to smoke inhalation and possibly minor burns, according to local media. Firemen managed to extinguish the blaze and stop it spreading further but were unable to save the vehicle.
The attack follows a growing escalation in political violence in Germany in the wake of which Chrupalla had appealed for calm, and urged members of his party to distance themselves from right-wing extremists.
His statements were made after a massacre in Hanau near Frankfurt where a gun attack on two shisa should bars left 10 people dead.
The car had been parked outside the politicians house in the town of Gablenz in Saxony which is close to the Polish border.
German newspaper Bild led criticism of the attack saying that the politicians family were not involved in politics and added that it was “heinous and should be condemned”.
This is anybody that failed to condemn attacks against AFD politicians loses credibility if they want to criticise AFD politicians for their silence over right-wing acts of violence.
The paper said there was no difference between good and bad attacks, and that this should be unified criticism of the arson attack and other political violence.
They added: “Violence is not the way of behaving in our great democracy, and should be outlined by every believer in democracy.”
In a posting online, Chrupalla wrote: “This fire attack on my family and I is further evidence of what I warned about and why have called all political actors to moderation and self-reflection. All social forces are demanded. It’s about inner peace in the country!”
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Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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