Herbert Reul: “We have missed this topic. Politics has been ‘peace, joy, pancakes’ for decades” | EUROtoday

After the Berlin assault on an influence line by a suspected left-wing radical group, North Rhine-Westphalia Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU) warns of a normal resurgence of left-wing extremism in Germany. Reul mentioned on the WELT TV information channel:

“We have always had this in Germany, where this left-wing extremism was laughed at a bit. But we have always experienced this in North Rhine-Westphalia with the Hambacher Forest and other cases, that quite spontaneously they are quite capable of interfering in a civil, justified protest and misusing it for their own purposes.” There have additionally been smaller assaults in North Rhine-Westphalia that the state authorities has attributed to such teams.

Reul’s conclusion: “They have become more active again, they have become aggressive, and in certain federal states even really violent. We should definitely not underestimate them. They are not that huge in quantity, but they are very effective in terms of quality.”

After the assault on a cable bridge within the Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, for which a left-wing extremist “volcano group” claimed accountability, 45,000 households and a pair of,200 firms in southwest Berlin have been with out energy on Saturday morning. As of immediately, Tuesday, 28,000 households are nonetheless ready for electrical energy. The police, the Bundeswehr and the technical aid group are in motion.

“We missed this topic. That’s the truth”

With regard to the availability of Berlin residents after the blackout, Herbert Reul drew a adverse conclusion. According to the CDU politician, catastrophe safety has principally been uncared for all through Germany. “We have missed this topic. That is the truth. Politics has been talking about ‘peace, joy, pancakes’ for decades. ‘There is no war! Catastrophes only occur in other countries, with other people. And if necessary, we donate.'”

However, after the flood within the Ahr Valley and the beginning of the Ukrainian conflict, a change in pondering started: “This problem is one that can affect us. And that’s why we have to prepare.” More funding is now wanted in exterior safety, for nationwide and civil protection. Disaster safety additionally must be modified. The CDU politician sees himself as a pioneer on this regard: “When I called for sirens to be purchased in 2018, people still thought I belonged in a loony bin. So, something has really started. Thank God,” Reul informed WELT TV.