In a recent interview, Wolfgang Kubicki, Vice President of the German Bundestag and a member of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), emphasized the need for a more robust approach by the police, particularly during demonstrations. Kubicki argued that the police require more authority to effectively enforce the law and that a new awareness of the police’s role in Germany is necessary.
He cited the protection of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party convention in Riesa, where police officers were allegedly subjected to verbal and physical abuse, as an example of the challenges faced by law enforcement. Kubicki stated that not all of those who attacked the police were AfD supporters, but that the officers were targeted and belittled, with some even being spat at, as if the rule of law and the way it is enforced were simply anti-democratic.
The FDP politician’s call for “more awareness and more robustness, more enforcement capabilities” has sparked debate, with some critics arguing that his stance may be seen as a threat to civil liberties and the rights of protesters. Others, however, have praised Kubicki’s efforts to address the challenges faced by the police and to promote a more nuanced understanding of their role in maintaining public order.