Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has warned the AfD against instrumentalizing the Magdeburg attack in strong words. “I can only say to the AfD: Every attempt to instrumentalize such a heinous act and misappropriate the suffering of the victims is repulsive” the SPD politician told the Funke Media Group newspapers (Thursday editions). “This only shows the character of those who do this.”
AfD leader Alice Weidel had claimed at a rally in Magdeburg, contrary to all the findings of the investigators, that the attacker was a “full of hate Islamist.” The alleged perpetrator is attributed by the Federal Criminal Police Office to have islamophobic attitudes.
Faeser also addressed statements by tech billionaire Elon Musk, who had called for Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) to resign after the Magdeburg attack and had expressed support for the AfD on several occasions. “We should give less attention to the crude opinions of this billionaire” she said. “Now, what matters is: All help for the affected, our deep sympathy for the victims and their families, and the right conclusions to be drawn from this abhorrent act.