German AfD politician's lethal force remarks spark police probe but no charges
In May 2022, Reno Schmidt, an AfD member and Weilheim city councillor, made controversial remarks at a party event in Upper Bavaria. The soldier, stationed at Feldafing barracks, suggested using lethal force against rioters—including machine guns and snipers. His comments later triggered a police investigation.
Schmidt spoke at an AfD gathering, referencing the violent 2017 G20 summit protests in Hamburg. He stated he would shoot multiple individuals if left-wing extremists advanced in a similar scenario. His exact words were reported by the Stuttgarter Zeitung and Weilheimer Tagblatt, which published his full name.
Weilheim police obtained a recording of his remarks and forwarded it to authorities. Prosecutors launched an inquiry for disturbing the public peace but dropped it, citing the hypothetical nature of his statements. German law also ruled out incitement to hatred charges. No public response came from the Bundeswehr or the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) at the time. However, MAD later confirmed it was reviewing whether to pursue disciplinary action. Schmidt, who serves as first deputy chairman of the AfD's Weilheim-Schongau district branch, did not reply to a request for comment from *CORRECTIV*.
The case against Schmidt was closed without charges, but MAD continues to assess potential internal measures. His remarks remain part of public record, tied to his roles in local politics and the military. No further official reactions have been documented.
Read also:
- American teenagers taking up farming roles previously filled by immigrants, a concept revisited from 1965's labor market shift.
- Weekly affairs in the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag)
- Landslide claims seven lives, injures six individuals while they work to restore a water channel in the northern region of Pakistan
- Escalating conflict in Sudan has prompted the United Nations to announce a critical gender crisis, highlighting the disproportionate impact of the ongoing violence on women and girls.
