Raids at Center for Political Beauty in Berlin Amidst “Unconstitutional Symbols” Investigation
Berlin, June 25 – Investigative authorities have conducted searches of residential and business premises associated with the Center for Political Beauty in Berlin. The raids are part of an investigation by the Chemnitz public prosecutor’s office into allegations of using symbols of unconstitutional organizations, defamation, and insult, as confirmed by spokesperson Ingrid Burghart. The focus of the investigation is a controversial poster that one suspect, along with two other individuals, allegedly unveiled last October in front of the Chemnitz police headquarters.
Controversial Poster Depicting Police and AfD Leader
According to Burghart, the poster featured “a caricatured depiction of a police officer and the AfD chairman” Tino Chrupalla, “riding together on a motorcycle, with a Reichskriegsflagge (Imperial War Flag) attached to its rear.” The figure representing Chrupalla was depicted making a Hitler salute with his left arm. “Furthermore, it was implied that the police officer granted unrestricted access to files to all Nazis,” Burghart added.
The search warrants were issued by the Chemnitz District Court for five locations in Berlin. Several residential and business premises were searched, including those of the Center for Political Beauty. Burghart stated that she could not currently confirm the extent to which the accused in the proceedings belonged to the activist group.
Activists Denounce Raids as Harassment
The Center for Political Beauty itself reported on the searches via X (formerly Twitter), raising accusations of harassment. They claimed that “families & children were woken up” and “team members were harassed.” The group asserted that the poster aimed to highlight how internal police data in Saxony allegedly ended up with right-wing extremists. “Whoever criminalizes art that exposes state failure in Saxony has a democracy problem!” the group posted on X.
The Center for Political Beauty is a group of activists that has garnered significant attention over the years. Last summer, for instance, the activists disrupted an ARD interview with AfD leader Alice Weidel in Berlin’s government district.
