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NBCMay 02
Germany: 'Reichsbuerger' Coup Suspects Go on Trial
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The Facts
The first of three trials against 27 members of a right-wing group accused of planning an attack on the German parliament and the overthrow of the government begins on Monday in one of the biggest trials in German history.
The first nine men from the so-called "Reichsbuerger" group (Citizens of the Reich) are charged with high treason, attempted murder, and conspiracy to establish a German aristocracy. The trial is taking place at a maximum security courtroom in Stuttgart.
The Spin
Left narrative
The trial's opening is a reminder that Germany's security is also threatened from within. While many of the group's ideas may seem bizarre and eccentric, they pose a major threat, as evidenced by their plans for a violent coup. In contrast to the repressive system they seek, the defendants enjoy a fair trial — and due to its complexity, one should not expect a quick verdict. Yet, the trial proves the democratic resilience of post-World War II Germany.
Right narrative
The German government and its media propagandists aren't just exaggerating the threat of right-wing groups — they're publicly smearing and prosecuting them so they can then tie them to the conservative AfD Party. While the head of the liberal SPD party, Bärbel Bas, gets to write for left-wing-linked extremist publications with impunity, anyone to the right of the establishment is labeled criminally dangerous. The government's end goal is to either imprison or ban its opposition.