Germany arrests self-declared 'king' and bans his extremist group
He has previously been jailed for repeatedly driving without a licence, following a decision to hand his back in a symbolic rejection of the law. At the end of one trial session, Fitzek was seen getting into his car in front of the court and driving off.
Fitzek is one of around 25,000 Reichsbürger in Germany. Numbers have been growing over the last few years.
Many are right-wing extremists who peddle racist and antisemitic conspiracy theories. They refuse to recognise the authority of security forces and many possess illegal arms, which has led to shoot-outs with police. Officials say that around 2,500 are potentially violent and that 1,350 are classed as right-wing extremists.
In 2022 dozens of people were arrested, many of them Reichsbürger, for plotting to overthrow the German government in Berlin. They were accused of planning a violent coup, which included kidnapping the health minister, to create "civil war conditions" to bring down German democracy.
In the past, Reichsbürger were often dismissed as eccentric cranks because of their outlandish ideas.
But as the far right has grown in strength politically in Germany over the last decade, officials now see them as a serious threat.
The federal prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe said Fitzek was arrested along with three other suspected ringleaders of the group, which it classified as a criminal organisation.
As the "so-called supreme sovereign", Fitzek had "control and decision-making power in all key areas", the office said.
"The 'Kingdom of Germany' considers itself a sovereign state within the meaning of international law and strives to extend its claimed 'national territory' to the borders of the German Empire of 1871," it added in a statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
38 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Every time Nigel Farage has fallen out with his colleagues
Nigel Farage's bust-up with Zia Yusuf is only the latest in a string of extraordinary sackings, resignations and break-ups in his political career. Mr Yusuf, the former Reform UK chairman, quit on Thursday following a disagreement over a Reform MP's call for a burka ban. But Mr Farage has fallen out with multiple senior figures in the party and its predecessors, Ukip and the Brexit Party. Godfrey Bloom Nigel Farage was forced to suspend the Ukip party whip from economist Godfrey Bloom after he described women at a party conference in 2013 as 'sluts'. Mr Bloom also hit journalist Michael Crick over the head with the conference brochure. Mr Farage, furious that one of his conference speeches had been overshadowed, said: 'We can't put up with it. We can't have any one individual, however fun or flamboyant or entertaining or amusing they are, we cannot have any one individual destroying Ukip's national conference and that is what he's done today.' Douglas Carswell Douglas Carswell was Ukip's first MP after defecting from the Conservatives in 2014. He won the Clacton seat twice for the party but soon fell out with Mr Farage, who accused him of trying to block efforts to put him in the House of Lords. The party leader branded Mr Carswell a 'Tory party posh boy' and accused him of trying to 'undermine everything we've stood for for a very long time'. Mr Carswell quit Ukip at the 2017 election to stand as an independent, but he lost to the Conservatives. Suzanne Evans Suzanne Evans was the most senior woman in Ukip but fell out with Mr Farage over his leadership style in 2015. She called for two of the Ukip leader's advisers to resign and praised Patrick O'Flynn, economy spokesman, after he accused Mr Farage of being 'snarling and aggressive'. Ms Evans later went on TV to say Mr Farage was seen as 'very divisive' – a move that saw her sacked and party officials told not to have any further contact with her. Diane James Diane James was elected leader of Ukip in 2016 after Mr Farage quit in the wake of the Brexit referendum victory. But within three weeks, he was back, after senior party figures refused to accept her as leader. The story of Mr Farage's role in Ms James' departure is not fully understood. Ben Habib After leaving Ukip in 2018, Mr Farage set up the Brexit Party, which campaigned for a final ending of ties with the EU, and later Reform UK. Its co-deputy leader was Ben Habib but he was sacked soon after last year's general election. He later quit Reform, saying Mr Farage needed to learn that the party 'should not be controlled by one man'. Asked what impact his departure would have, Mr Farage said: 'None whatsoever.' Rupert Lowe Businessman Rupert Lowe was one of five Reform MPs elected last year – but his ego clashed with that of Mr Farage. After he accused Mr Farage in an interview of acting like a 'messiah', Mr Lowe lost the party whip and was reported to police over allegations he had physically threatened Zia Yusuf, then party chairman. Mr Lowe said at the time: 'I am 67 years old, and I have a 67-year-long unblemished record with the law. These are false allegations, designed to maliciously smear my name and ruin my reputation after I dared to bruise [Nigel] Farage's ego.' A party source told The Telegraph: 'This is what happens when you mess with Nigel.'
Daily Mail
39 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Revealed: 'Love cheat' Navy chief Sir Ben Key's affair with junior female officer was 'exposed after her husband reported them to the MoD'
An affair involving the suspended head of the Royal Navy and a junior female officer was exposed by her husband, sources have revealed. Admiral Sir Ben Key, 59, was told to 'step back from all duties' last month over claims the married father of three had an affair with a female officer. At the time, allies of the former First Sea Lord claimed the allegation was part of a 'dirty tricks campaign' against Sir Ben following months of fierce in-fighting at the top of the Armed Forces. But now it has emerged the 'consensual' relationship came to light after the officer's non-serving husband filed a complaint with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), The Telegraph reported. It is understood the husband believed Sir Ben should be held accountable to the same standards as those beneath him. He stands accused of breaching regulations barring sexual relations between commanders and those below them in rank, while endangering the marriage of a comrade is also forbidden. A source said: 'The husband was upset, because this is a man who prides himself on his Christian values and how he was raised by missionaries – but was doing this with someone else's wife.' Sir Ben, who was formerly in the running to become the next Chief of the Defence Staff, now faces a misconduct probe. Admiral Sir Ben, pictured with his wife Elly, is the subject of a misconduct probe following a complaint to the Ministry of Defence about the affair It is the first time in the 500-year history of the Navy that its First Sea Lord has come under such scrutiny. Insiders understand that he had attempted to retire 'quietly' once the affair was exposed, but General Dame Sharon Nesmith, the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, and John Healey, the Defence Secretary, insisted on an investigation. Many female officers particularly are understood to have felt 'let down' by Sir Ben's double standards. The source said: 'The female naval workforce feels shockingly let down by his moral high stance and hypocrisy.' In March, Sir Ben appeared in Parliament to provide oral evidence on the treatment of women in the armed forces and commented on 'unwelcome sexual behaviours'. He told the defence select committee: 'We are absolutely determined to create a Royal Navy in which people are judged for their professional conduct, welcomed for the contribution that they make, and accepted for who they are. 'Behaviours that run counter to that will not be accepted, and particularly those around unwelcome sexual behaviours. 'We have removed people from the service, including those who have commanded, where we have discovered that their behaviours were not appropriate, or we have removed people from positions of responsibility before situations have got out of hand.' In March, Sir Ben appeared in Parliament to provide oral evidence on the treatment of women in the armed forces and commented on 'unwelcome sexual behaviours' Those close to Sir Ben previously told MoS that they were 'shocked' by the news of an affair. A senior Navy source said: 'Across the board he is very popular, very competent and the majority of the naval service are extremely shocked and really sad to see it potentially end like this.' Another insider added: 'He is a stand-up bloke and treats everyone well.' His wife Elly has previously told of the 'burden' being in the Navy can place on family members. Last week Sir Gwyn Jenkins became the first Royal Marine to be appointed as head of the service. An MoD spokesman said it would be inappropriate to comment while the investigation into the matter continues.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Teenager killed in Sheffield crash came to UK months ago 'for a better future'
Why you can trust Sky News A teenager who died after being hit by a car in Sheffield had recently come to the UK from Yemen looking "for a better future", his loved ones said. Abdullah Yaser Abdullah Al Yazidi, 16, wanted to be "friends with everybody" and would "light up" people's faces with a big smile", according to his relatives and friends. After arriving in the UK from Yemen two or three months ago, he had devoted himself to learning English ahead of starting at college in September, they said. His relative, Saleh Alsirkal, runs a corner shop that the teenager popped into just before he was hit by an Audi car on Wednesday. "His dad brought him over to change his life, to get a better future for his son, but this has happened and destroyed everything," said Mr Alsirkal. 1:04 Mr Alsirkal said Abdullah was a "kind boy" who just wanted to look after his family, including his three sisters and was really enjoying learning English. "Every time he had a new word to learn, he was so excited about it," he said. "It meant a lot to him and he learned quick. Sometimes he would stay in the shop just so he could talk to people. He tried to be friends with everyone." "He wanted to be the main guy for the family. He was 16 years old, but he was a clever man," said Mr Alsirkal. Abdullah's friend, Oasmah Thabet, said the teenager "really cared for his family". "You can really tell the character of somebody by the support they give to their family," he said. "To the people who would come around and just say hello to him, he would light up their faces with a big smile. "I'd like to think that we related in the sense that both our families migrated from Yemen to here. "The reason our family came here was for a better life - to live the dream. "For something to happen like this and for your dreams to be cut so short, it's a tragic loss for the family and it's just a shock that can't be described." The teenager was walking along Staniforth Road, in the Darnall area of Sheffield, when he was hit by the car. The grey Audi also hit an e-bike, leaving an 18-year-old man with serious injuries, before leaving the scene. Police are still questioning a 20-year-old man on suspicion of murder and attempted murder after he was arrested in Kent on Thursday. A 26-year-old man was rearrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder, after initially being arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. "This is a heartbreaking case in which a completely innocent boy has lost his life," said Detective Chief Inspector Benjamin Wood. "Our thoughts remain with Abdullah's family and our priority is securing justice for them. "A murder investigation has been launched and we have a team of detectives working around the clock. "I am renewing our message to not share footage of this incident which may cause further distress to Abdullah's loved ones." DCI Wood asked for anyone with footage or information to contact officers and said he was keen to hear from the riders of two electric bikes who were in the area at the time. Two people, a man, aged 46, and a woman, aged 45, arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, have both been bailed pending further inquiries, police said.
