In Dresden, Germany, four people attacked Social Democrat (SPD) Member of the European Parliament (EP) Matthias Ek, the police said, noting that the politician was seriously injured in the attack.
The attack took place on Friday evening when the politician was placing EP election campaign posters.
After the attack, Eke, the SPD’s leading EP election candidate in Saxony, was taken to hospital and will need surgery.
The police have not identified the attackers.
A few minutes later, a group of four attacked a Green Party campaign worker who also placed posters.
The 28-year-old man was punched and kicked and sustained injuries.
Investigators believe the attacks were carried out by the same people.
As stated by the SPD’s Saxony organization, other campaign teams that have placed posters have also been offended, there have been attempts to intimidate them, but the posters have been damaged.
The SPD leadership blames the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and other far-right extremist organizations for sowing hatred against democratic politicians, and warned that supporters of far-right ideas have become “totally unrestrained” and see democratic politicians as “targets of attacks”.
German democracy “must not tolerate this”, the SPD leaders said. “And it is also clear that we will not succeed in being silenced.”
Matthias Eke. Photo: REUTERS/Matthias Rietschel/Scanpix
