German Left-Wing Crime Increase Adds to Public Security Concerns
An increase in crime and attacks on police officers by German left-wing extremists in 2009 was centered in Berlin and Hamburg, cities which also have seen conflicts with immigrants. Despite initial preventative measures by federal and regional authorities, calls for stronger action continue. -- 27 April 2010

Left-Wing Crime Increase Compounds Concern About Right-Wing, Immigrant Groups
German security authorities reported a substantial increase in crime and attacks on police in 2009 related to left-wing political groups and individuals, whom German counterintelligence agencies number at approximately 6,600. This increase in left-wing crime represents an additional concern alongside Germany's perceived problems with right-wing extremist and immigrant crime (dw-world.de, 19 January).

• According to Germany's Interior Ministry, more extremist crimes and acts of violence occurred in 2009 than in any year since 2001. The ministry reported that in 2009, leftwing extremist crimes increased by almost 40% to 9,375. Violent crimes by these individuals and groups, meanwhile, increased by more than 50% to 1,822, and the number of leftist attacks on police officers increased by 120% to 1,3503 (Bild, 23 March; bild.de, 30 January).
• Interior Ministry statistics indicate that although violent crimes tied to right-wing groups decreased by 14% to 959, overall crime by these groups is still twice as frequent as that committed by their left-wing counterparts. The Federal Office of Criminal Investigation (BKA) also reported that rightist attacks on police officers increased by almost 75% to 5305 (Bild, 23 March; bild.de, 30 January).
• Germany lacks publicly available official data on immigrant crime, but media reports reflect increasing concern about integration problems.a For example, media have cited statistics -- probably drawn from a controversial lecture by Senior Public Prosecutor Roman Reusch, former head of the Berlin Department for Multiple Offenders -- indicating that 80% of young multiple offenders in Berlin have a migration background (meideu.de, 16 October 2009; Focus, 12 October 2009).

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