A German MP for the European Parliament was “seriously injured” in the attack in Dresden.
Matthias Ecke, a prominent Socialist contender in the June election for the European Parliament, was hospitalized following an attack during the installation of campaign posters.
A press release from his party on Saturday stated that a prominent Socialist member of the European Parliament was attacked in the eastern German city of Dresden by four young men, leaving him “seriously injured” and requiring surgery.
According to his party, 41-year-old Matthias Ecke was attacked on Friday night while hanging posters in the Striesen neighborhood. He is the front-runner for the Social Democratic Party’s (SPD) candidacy for European Parliament in Saxony in June.
The chairs of the SPD’s Saxony branch, Henning Homann and Kathrin Michel, called the attack on Matthias Ecke “an unmistakable alarm signal to all people in this country” in their statement. “Our democratic ideals are being attacked.”
According to the statement, there have been additional attempts at poster destruction and intimidation. The violent crimes task force of the state criminal police office is currently looking into the assault.
The attack on Ecke was attributed by the SPD to adherents of the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD). The statement claimed that “their supporters are now completely disinhibited and apparently see us Democrats as fair game.” One of the AfD’s political bastions is Saxony.
Politicians on Saturday showed their support for Ecke. Another Social Democrat, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, expressed his anger and disgust at Ecke’s violent act while wishing him a quick recovery.
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