The mysterious attempted attacks against the leaders of the German extreme right
Who. Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla, co-leaders of the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
That. Both politicians have allegedly been the target of attacks that have compromised their security, and which have even led to Chrupalla's hospitalization.
When. The incidents occurred on the eve of last Sunday's elections in Bavaria and Hesse, in which the party became the second force.
The German far-right has gained positions in the regional elections of Bavaria and Hesse. It is already the second political force in both federated states, although the stories surrounding its leaders – and not only that – smell like singeing.. Let's see.
Days before the appointment with the polls last Sunday, spokespersons for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) announced that its co-president, Alice Weidel, would not be able to attend the closing rally in Hesse for security reasons.. Weidel, who temporarily resides with her family in Switzerland, had to be transferred to a safe house, where she would have to remain hidden until further notice.. From that safe place, Weidel sent a video message to the rally participants: “I would like nothing more than to be with you today, but unfortunately I cannot.”
Once the alarm was unleashed, the Federal Criminal Police Office, responsible for the personal protection of politicians, declared that the cancellation of Weidel's participation in the event in question “was neither instigated nor recommended.”. Furthermore, the agency could not “provide any information about tactical measures or moments of danger”, meaning it did not know what the AfD was talking about.. The German press went to work to discover Weidel's whereabouts, and the weekly Spiegel found her.. But not in a safe house, but in the sun, on the terrace of a restaurant in Mallorca. She was caught red-handed with his wife and the couple's two children. And what the AfD spokespersons said from then on was a tongue-twister.
Weidel went to Mallorca to “get away from that dangerous situation”. And there he stayed to spend the German Unity Day of October 3. Explanation: After the event, which apparently occurred on September 23, Weidel, his partner and the children “followed the recommendation to spend some time outside their family environment, as he was an alleged target of the attack,” he declared.. Swiss police confirmed that several officers went to Weidel's home in Schwyz, in the center of the country, but did not offer further details.
Let everyone think what they want, but “the fact is that 14 days ago, my apartment was evacuated along with my family by an anti-terrorist unit and they took me to a safe environment,” Weidel declared.. The incident was “traumatizing” for the entire family, he explained.
And while Weidel was recovering from the scare in Mallorca, his better half in the party presidency, Tino Chrupalla – you have to have a bad temper – was the victim of an attack at a campaign event in Ingolstadt. The AfD reported that its leader had to be rushed to hospital and admitted to intensive care. There was talk of an assault with a knife, after a puncture.
The medical report revealed redness and superficial swelling of the upper part of the right arm, a probable puncture from an intramuscular injection whose effects were “dizziness with nausea and headache with a pre-collapse event after unexplained poisoning.”. However, the report also revealed that in the toxicological examinations carried out “no substance was detected” that indicated intoxication or poisoning.
The Ingolstadt Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation into the incident for suspicion of bodily injury, but has not found witnesses to confirm the assault.
Chrupalla, for his part, has left the hospital.