Suche
Mein Konto
Arson in Connewitz: Police investigate electric car and garbage can!
In Connewitz, Leipzig, the police were investigating the arson of a garbage can and a car. Possible political motives are being examined.
Arson in Connewitz: Police investigate electric car and garbage can!
In the early morning hours of November 23, 2025, several arson incidents occurred in Leipzig-Connewitz, which brought the police to the scene. First a garbage can was on fire, then a car caught fire a few hundred meters away. Firefighters had to use breathing apparatus to escape the heavy smoke emitted from the burning electric vehicle. The fire brigade managed to prevent the flames from spreading to other vehicles; only one hedge was damaged. There is currently no information on the amount of damage caused. The police suspect arson and have started an investigation. The perpetrators are currently unknown and it remains unclear whether there is a connection between the two incidents. The current situation may be linked to events on Friday evening, when around 15 unidentified people set up barricades and set fire to them near a police post. These people chanted the slogan “Free Maja,” which refers to Maja T., an activist imprisoned in Hungary for attacks on neo-Nazis. The public prosecutor's office then commissioned the state security agency to investigate in order to examine possible political motives.
There have been similar incidents in Leipzig-Connewitz in the past. In March 2025, an apartment building that had just been renovated fell victim to arson. Police extremism specialists began the investigation after a letter claiming responsibility appeared on the Internet. Under suspicion of committing politically motivated crimes, an empty shop was identified as a crime scene, with bulky waste set on fire at the corner entrance. In this case, fortunately there was no property damage and no injuries were reported. The responsible authorities were primarily concerned with finding witnesses who could provide information about the incidents in the area. Time reports an increased regularity of such attacks in this district.
The context of extremism in Germany
The incidents in Connewitz are part of a larger problem affecting the Federal Republic of Germany. According to information from Statista Around 39,400 extremist and 60,000 politically motivated crimes were recorded in Germany in 2023, both numbers represent highs. Extremism in Germany manifests itself under various ideologies, including right-wing extremism and left-wing extremism. Of particular concern is the increase in left-wing violence, which included approximately 727 violent attacks in 2023, 10% more than the previous year.
The left-wing extremist spectrum in Germany includes around 37,000 people, of whom around 11,200 are classified as violent. In comparison, there are around 40,600 right-wing extremists in Germany, with 14,500 considered violent. An increased police presence in Connewitz was ordered in response to the repeated arson attacks in order to give residents a feeling of security and to deter possible perpetrators.
The police are continuing to investigate the ongoing cases and are doing everything they can to bring the perpetrators to account and clarify possible political motives behind the crimes.