Germany: Greens politician faked right-wing crimes

Erkelenz - In the case of the Greens Council member Manoj Subramaniam from Erkelenz, who is said to have become the victim of right-wing extremist crimes in recent weeks and months, a surprising turn of events may be looming. The state protection of the Aachen police, in coordination with the public prosecutor's office in Mönchengladbach, began intensive investigations in July after new attacks were said to have occurred again and again. At the same time, the Heinsberg police took protective measures to protect the local politician from the harm he feared.

As part of the police investigation, the suspicion has now been substantiated that the reported crimes did not take place, that they were actually faked and that there was therefore no threat. This was announced in a joint statement on Friday by the Mönchengladbach public prosecutor and the Aachen police. Searches and an interrogation of the accused had confirmed this suspicion. The police and public prosecutor are investigating in this connection. For reasons of protecting the suspect's personality, the police did not want to provide any further information about the suspicions or indications that caused the investigations against the Greens politician to roll. "We know nothing about the man's motive," said a police spokeswoman when asked.

Despite repeated attempts to contact him, the suspect himself could not be reached by phone or email for comment on Friday. According to Mayor Stephan Muckel, Subramaniam resigned his seat on the council on Friday with immediate effect. Through his actions, Subramaniam did all victims of right-wing violence a disservice, Muckel said. He wished Subramaniam strength and professional help "to get out of the life crisis".

The Greens parliamentary group confirmed on Friday that Subramaniam had confessed to faking the threats against him and had resigned from all political offices. The property damage, on the other hand, happened. "Manoj Subramaniam abused the solidarity not only of the Erkelenz Greens, but of all local politicians in the Heinsberg district and beyond. In view of the actual threats from right-wing violence that local politicians and many people of color are exposed to, his actions are inexcusable,” said parliamentary group leader Hans Josef Dederichs.

A few weeks ago, Subramaniam's statements sounded completely different: "The thing with my car was blatant. But this is something completely different. Outside, I've always looked over my shoulder when I crossed the street. I felt safe in my apartment. That's over now, I no longer feel safe at home," he said in an interview with our editorial team, after strangers are said to have smeared a swastika and SS runes on his apartment door in August.

Even after the car incident, there was a wave of solidarity in Erkelenz. This was also the case in mid-August, when Subramaniam reported on Facebook about the graffiti on his apartment door. The deputy Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and Economics Minister Mona Neubaur wrote: "Full solidarity, dear Manoj! We stand by your side immovably.” In July, the Erkelenz council factions CDU, SPD, FDP and Free Voters published a joint statement and backed the politician. District Administrator Stephan Pusch, Mayor Stephan Muckel, the local Greens association and the Heinsberg Greens district association also showed solidarity with Subramaniam at the time.

Source: RP Online