Steeler guys

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The Steeler Jungs (own name First Class Crew - Steeler Jungs ) are a neo-Nazi group that has been mainly active in Essen since 2017 and mainly appears with weekly "so-called city walks" in the Steele district of Essen . The group is a typical example of mixed structures of neo-Nazis, rockers and hooligans . The Steeler boys are observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution , which they call a " vigilante-like group ".

Origin and background

The right-wing extremist scene in North Rhine-Westphalia has been in constant change in recent years. Free comradeships and autonomous nationalists have decreased due to state repression, among other things. With the “ Hooligans against Salafists ” (HoGeSa for short), a new phenomenon emerged from 2014 in the right-wing extremist milieu. The participants in the brutal street battles against the police were not neo-Nazis in the classic sense, but mostly right-wing hooligans who were prepared to use violence. For this policy rather distant milieu, most members of the self-proclaimed recruiting vigilantes . In addition to the Steeler boys in Essen, these are also the Brotherhood of Germany in Düsseldorf , the “Cologne escort” or “Mönchengladbach stands up”. All of these organizations are observed by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which it describes as a mixed scene, in which so-called angry citizens , neo-Nazis , hooligans , martial artists and people from the bouncer scene come together. The local pub the Steeler guys, this "300" will, run by Christian W. (aka "Bifi"), the martial artist and head of the Bandidos in nearby Bottrop is how the malfunction indicator of TIME with reference to the Mobile Counseling against right in Düsseldorf administrative district reports.

What these groups have in common is that they are evidently of the opinion that they must save Germany, especially German women, from criminal immigrants because the state is failing. The Düsseldorf right-wing extremism expert Alexander Häusler told the WAZ : “ They are united by a very primitive, simple, racist worldview. Even with them there is a risk of a possible radicalization of individual members up to the commission of right-wing terrorist crimes . "The Mobile Advice Against Right-Wing Extremism told the disturbance reporter that the group used the argumentation common in right-wing extremist circles that" German asylum policy has led to a significant increase in sexuality Violence led ".

Connections with the right-wing extremist scene

At the beginning of August 2019, the Steeler boys organized a “funeral march for the killed eight-year-old boy from Frankfurt”, in which around 350 people took part. Here Steeler guys were running for the first time openly with known Dortmund neo-Nazi cadres as Siegfried Borchardt (aka "SS-Siggi"), the head of the party " rights " Sascha Krolzig and NPD -Landeschef Claus Cremer . In its report, the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution judges that these groups “see a demarcation from right-wing extremism as irrelevant or even wrong” and that right-wing extremists welcome this development and are considering how “these predominantly xenophobic protests can be further radicalized”. The malfunction reporter quotes the Mobile Advice Against Right-Wing Extremism , which "obviously has good contacts in the right-wing extremist scene as well as dealing with counter-protests on the street" contradicts the appearance of a peaceful group. Max Adelmann from the alliance “Essen is standing across” told the malfunction reporter that the Steeler boys are networking with the violent Brotherhood Germany from Düsseldorf and are looking to join forces with other vigilante groups and hooligans. The protection of the constitution informed the German press agency (dpa) on request that "some members have right-wing extremist references". There are now similar groups in other parts of Essen (Huttroper Jungs, Borbecker Jungs).

Public appearance and reactions

Since 2017, the Steeler boys have been meeting every week in Steele and starting the so-called walks through the neighborhood from there. Mostly to the Essen-Steele train station , through the city center and finally to the “Sportsbar 300”, which, according to the police, is used as a kind of club house. As a rule, slogans are neither chanted nor posters carried. Most of them wear shirts and hats with the words "Steeler Jungs" and "First Class Crew" in old German letters. A political orientation is not apparent at first glance. "What is supposed to give the impression that it is about protection is actually used to intimidate: the walks (...) are supposed to stir up fear of an alleged danger from refugees and other immigrants." Writes the ZEIT malfunction reporter . In the report for the protection of the constitution, it is said that the joint patrols "also demonstrate the group's alleged territorial claims in their neighborhood".

According to the protection of the constitution, between 50 and 100 people take part in the tours every week. These are now accompanied by the police, and counter-demonstrations of various strengths take place regularly, in September 2019 with up to 2500 participants. In a resolution passed by the Essen city council at the end of May 2019, it says: “ Behind a supposedly harmless facade there is possibly a nationwide network with intensive contacts in the extreme right-wing scene. "

Violent acts and police investigations

Regardless of the peaceful, bourgeois and protective self-portrayal, the organization evidently harbors a considerable potential for violence.

On March 21, 2018, the alliance “Essen is standing across” called for a demonstration on the international day against racism. The Steeler boys also gathered on Kaiser-Otto-Platz in downtown Steele. Following the Steeler boys' demonstration, one person caught the eye of the crowd, showing the Hitler salute. The police started the investigation. The Mayor Thomas Kufen said: “ I am watching the escalation and uncertainty in the Essen-Steele district with concern. Like Steele, our entire city represents an open and tolerant society. Traditionally, people from many cultures and countries of origin live peacefully together in Essen. I will do everything I can to ensure that it stays that way. "

On the night of March 27, 2018, two shots were fired at the winter garden of the “Grend” cultural center, which is diagonally opposite the meeting point of the Steeler boys, the “300”. A projectile struck the opposite wall of the Grend pub and two bullet holes were found in the window pane. The state security had taken over the investigation into the case and also, but not only, the Steeler boys under suspicion. The alliance "Essen is standing across", which regularly demonstrates against the marches of the Steeler boys, often meets afterwards in the cultural center.

At the end of April 2018, three men assigned to the group are said to have entered the "Freak Show" restaurant on Grendplatz and started a verbal argument there. After they were expelled from the house, they later returned to Grendplatz in large numbers and there were assaults. This triggered a large-scale police operation. Three men resisted the expulsion and were taken into custody by the police. A person involved physically attacked the police while attempting to rescue them and was bitten in the thigh by a service dog. He then had to be hospitalized. Due to the incident, the police increased their presence in Steele, from then on accompanied the weekly marches of the Steele boys and took down the personal details during a march in early May 2018 with a large contingent of all 30 to 40 men involved.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Reiner Burger, Essen: Cities in North Rhine-Westphalia: A vigilante group of right-wing extremists, hooligans and rockers . In: FAZ.NET . ISSN  0174-4909 ( faz.net [accessed April 19, 2020]).
  2. ↑ a b c d e f WORLD: "Steeler Jungs": The protection of the Constitution has Essen vigilante in its sights . In: THE WORLD . September 18, 2019 ( welt.de [accessed April 19, 2020]).
  3. ^ A b c Protection of the Constitution of North Rhine-Westphalia: Report on the Protection of the Constitution of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia 2018. Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, June 2019, accessed on April 19, 2020 .
  4. ^ State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia: Printed matter 17/4865. In: Answer of the state government to the small inquiry 1870 of December 20, 2018. January 18, 2019, accessed on April 19, 2020 .
  5. ↑ a b c d e f Jan Jessen: Angry citizens to Nazis: Right vigilante groups are radicalizing. August 5, 2019, accessed on April 19, 2020 (German).
  6. ^ WORLD: "Steeler Jungs": The protection of the Constitution has Essen vigilante in its sights . In: THE WORLD . September 18, 2019 ( welt.de [accessed April 19, 2020]).
  7. ↑ a b c d e f Malfunction reporter: Right-wing extremist vigilante groups want to stir up fear. August 9, 2019, accessed on April 19, 2020 (German).
  8. ↑ a b c Large contingent of police controls "Steeler Jungs". May 17, 2018, accessed on April 19, 2020 (German).
  9. ↑ DerWesten- derwesten.de: "Steeler Jungs": Essen police investigate because of Hitler's salutes on right-wing demonstration. March 21, 2019, accessed April 19, 2020 .
  10. ↑ DerWesten- derwesten.de: Essen: Shots at the cultural center - police also have the “Steeler boys” in their sights. March 29, 2019, accessed April 19, 2020 .