In the past few days I became the target of a deliberate attempt at intimidation by right-wing extremists. My private contact details (phone number, email address and home address) were published online. What followed was a wave of hate, violent fantasies and death threats. The state security police are investigating.

What the perpetrators meant as an attack on me personally is in truth an attack on our open society. And that is why one thing is clear: I will not be silent.

Threats meant to hit home. They won’t.

Ever since I became politically active, especially as a Jewish local politician, I have been the target of hostility. But the scale of the current threats is new: in their force, in their will to destroy and in their openness. “You’ll be slaughtered like cattle,” one message says. Another tells me to kill myself, live on the internet. And yes, it does something to you. But it won’t silence me.

Because whoever stays silent leaves the field to them. And that is exactly what won’t happen.

The reason: taking a stand, publicly, consistently, clearly

I publicly praised Jan Böhmermann’s investigation into right-wing extremist influencers. I have spoken out very clearly against the normalisation of right-wing incitement. I’m not afraid to name names. And I don’t do it to be liked, but because I grew up in this country with the promise: Never again.

If there had been more democrats in the 1920s and 30s who stood up to the Nazis early on, immeasurable suffering might have been prevented. Today we have the chance, and the duty, to do better.

No false equivalence: perpetrators and those targeted

There is a difference between exposing right-wing agitators who spread hate online under pseudonyms and the targeted doxxing of people who stand up for democracy and human rights. Anyone who puts themselves at the service of incitement has to expect people to answer back, but nobody who is threatened should have to accept that as the price of their commitment. The rule of law is called upon here. And it is acting. For me, that means support. And for the perpetrators: consequences.

We are more, and we will stay loud

I know I’m not alone in speaking out. The wave of solidarity over the past few days has given me courage, from my party, from civil society and from people I don’t even know personally. And I’ll say it clearly: we will not be intimidated. Not on the street, not online, not in our heads.

Fascists threaten us because they know they lose if we stand firm. So we stand firm.

What matters now: solidarity, conviction, consequences.

It is obvious that the perpetrators come from the AfD’s orbit. So is the fact that this party is a case for the domestic intelligence service. And yes, I am convinced the day will come when proceedings to ban the AfD are launched. The champagne is already on ice.

Until then: we won’t give an inch. I won’t, and I hope you won’t either. If you want to do something, support initiatives like KIgA, the Kreuzberg Initiative against Antisemitism. They do educational work against hate and incitement every day. Every euro helps.