Is Germany persecuting lockdown sceptics?
The arrest of Querdenken leader Michael Ballweg raises some troubling questions.
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The arrest of Querdenken leader Michael Ballweg raises some troubling questions.
Fresh protests have broken out in Germany against measures to contain the coronavirus pandemic. The rallies have provided a backdrop for demonstrators to compare themselves to victims of Nazi persecution.
Over the past two years, the heterogeneous Querdenker movement against Germany’s coronavirus restrictions has radicalized sharply, involving not only far-right ideologues but also average German citizens who are tired of “peaceful resistance” against pandemic measures.
Over the past year, mobilizations around the world have sprung up against governmental efforts to contain the coronavirus through lockdowns, social
While Germany's Querdenker movement cannot be considered right-wing, its parallels with America's QAnon show that the potential for radicalization is rising. The only effective way to counter this trend is to address the anxiety and alienation fueling it.