Indictment Filed Against Another Six Suspected Members of a Left-Wing Extremist Criminal Organisation

Year of issue 2025
Date 08.07.2025

On 25 June 2025, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office filed an indictment against the German nationals

Nele A.,
Emilie D.,
Paula P.,
Luca S.,
Moritz S. and
Clara W.

before the State Security Chamber of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court.

There are sufficient grounds to suspect the accused of membership in a criminal organisation (section 129 para. 1 sentences 1 and 2 of the German Criminal Code [StGB]). In this context, they are also charged with attempted murder (section 211 StGB) as well as dangerous bodily harm (section 223 para. 1, section 224 para. 1 StGB). Sufficient grounds have furthermore been established to suspect Nele A. and Emilie D. of forgery of documents (section 267 para. 1 StGB) and theft (section 242 para. 1 StGB). Emilie D. is also charged with criminal damage (section 303 StGB), misuse of identity papers (section 281 para. 1 StGB) and fraud (section 263 para. 1 StGB). Nele A., Emilie D., Paula P. and Moritz S. are believed to have acted as young adults (section 105 of the Youth Courts Act [JGG]).

In essence, the indictment sets out the following allegations:

The accused were part of a militant, left-wing extremist organisation led by Johann G., who is facing charges in separate proceedings (see Press Release No. 39 of 11 June 2025). Since April 2022, they committed different violent attacks against individuals who they considered as members of the “far right”. The defendants did so in concert with other members of the organisation to varying degrees.

On 23 April 2022, members of the organisation carried out simultaneous attacks on “Thor-Steinar” stores in Erfurt, Magdeburg, Halle and Schwerin. Emilie D. and five others participated in the attack in Erfurt. She violently pulled the sales person to the ground and punched her numerous times in the head and torso. One female co-perpetrator beat the victim, who was lying on the floor, no less than twenty times with a telescopic baton. Other attackers sprayed butyric acid and pepper spray over a large area of the store. The pepper spray was also used specifically against the sales person. More than € 60,000 worth of criminal damage was caused to the store fittings and merchandise.

On 12 January 2023, Emilie D., Johann G., who is facing charges in separate proceedings, and others attacked two individuals in Erfurt whom they had previously spied out. The group approached the victims from behind and knocked them over. They were then repeatedly punched and beaten with batons and striking tools with great force, partially sustaining life-threatening injuries to the head.

Between 9 February and 11 February 2023, all of the accused took part in several attacks in Budapest. The incidents occurred on the so-called “Tag der Ehre” (in English: “Day of Honour”), an annual event that attracts right-wing extremists from all over Europe to the Hungarian capital. In the morning of 9 February 2023, Nele A. and Paul M., who is facing charges is separate proceedings, sprayed pepper spray at a man at Budapest Central Station. Shortly thereafter, Nele A., Emilie D., Paula P. and Clara W. as well as Johann G. and Paul M. and other members of the organisation assaulted three individuals outside a café in the city centre. The group kicked and hit the victims inter alia with batons. In the morning of 10 February 2023, Nele A., Emilie D., Moritz S., Clara W. and others attacked an individual on a public square from behind and severely injured his head. Emilie D. sprayed pepper spray in his face. Paula P. and Luca S. had previously spied out the victim. In the late evening hours of 10 February 2023, Luca S., Clara W. and Paul M. as well as others openly attacked two individuals in the street. The perpetrators sprayed an unknown substance in the victims’ faces and repeatedly punched them. One victim fell to the ground after sustaining a blow to the head. Although he was lying on the sidewalk unconsciously, his attackers repeatedly hit his head and entire body with a striking tool. In preparation for another attack in the morning of 11 February 2023, Paula P. spied out two individuals who were then attacked with pepper spray, batons and a hammer by other members of the organisation, among whom Johann G. One of the victims was hit at least 15 times, predominantly on the head.

In addition, Emilie D. rented apartments in Jena and Berlin, namely as conspiratorial safe havens for the organisation. When she concluded the rental agreement, she used a false name and provided someone else’s ID and other forged documents to conceal her true identity. The apartments’ addresses and her false identity were used for fraudulent orders online. The proceeds from these activities were used for the organisation. In January 2023, Nele A. and Emilie D. stole merchandise of considerable value from a clothing store in Leipzig. When confronted by the store detective, they provided someone else’s of false IDs.

Nele A., Paula P., Luca S., Moritz S. and Clara W. were arrested on 20 January 2025, Emilie D. was taken into custody on 20 March 2025 (see Press Releases nos. 7, 9 and 19 of 21 and 22 January 2025 as well as 21 March 2025). They remain in pre-trial detention.