• Germany has banned the extremist 'Kingdom of Germany' group, which rejects the legitimacy of the state.
• Four leaders, including self-declared "king" Peter Fitzek, were arrested during nationwide police raids.
• Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the group as a threat to democracy, citing antisemitic conspiracy narratives.
• The organization was accused of creating a 'counter-state' and establishing criminal economic structures.
• This crackdown follows previous actions against the growing Reichsbürger movement in Germany.

The German government has taken significant action against the far-right group known as the "Kingdom of Germany," banning it and arresting its leaders. The group, part of the larger "Reich Bürger" movement, rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state and has created a notion of a parallel government with its own institutions, including banks and ID systems. This decisive move was initiated on May 13, with police conducting raids in seven federal states, resulting in the arrest of four leaders, among them Peter Fitzek, who styles himself as a "king" of this self-proclaimed kingdom, according to Le Monde, AA, and The Hill.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt emphasized that the group has created a "counter-state" and built up criminal economic structures, stating, "We will take decisive action against those who attack our free democratic basic order." The operation involved over 800 police officers searching properties connected to the group, which has approximately 6,000 members across Germany. The ban also includes associated splinter organizations, highlighting the escalating concern over the far-right movement's actions, according to BBC, NY Times, and India Times.

The "Kingdom of Germany" was founded by Fitzek in 2012. It claims to govern through alternative institutions while promoting antisemitic conspiracy theories, creating a complex web of economic and legal defiance against the state. Officials have noted an increase in violent incidents connected to the Reichsbürger movement, which includes a 2022 plot to overthrow the government. Such growing threats have prompted intensified monitoring and action from German security forces, emphasizing the risks posed by these anti-democratic groups, according to Le Monde, AA, and BBC.