Left-Extremist Endeavours

2. Criminal Offences / Acts of Violence
In 1999, left-wing extremists again committed criminal offences in
order to attain their political aims; such offences included arson
and property damage to the amount of millions of deutschmark.
The number of criminal offences in which left-wing extremists
were identified - or, in view of the circumstances of the given
offences, were suspected - as the perpetrators or as accomplices,
decreased in 1999 by about 4.5 % to 3,055 (1998:
3,201). These included 711 acts of violence (1998: 783); this
represents a decrease by 9 %.
On the other hand, the number of militant actions against rightwing
extremists, or supposed right-wing extremists, showed another
increase by nearly 15 % - to 299 - as compared to the previous
year (261).
The following overview only conveys an incomplete picture of the
actual extent of left-extremist violence; on account of the often
incomparable forms and targets of violence - street militancy on
the part of left-wing extremists, while right-extremist attacks are
often targeted against individuals - a comparison with criminal
offences in the right-extremist area can be made to a limited extent
only. Also, the penal provisions applying to left-wing extremism
are not as far-reaching as those regarding right-extremist
propaganda offences.
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