Despite the tightening of laws, an increase in the number of extremists obtaining licenses to carry weapons

A report by the German public broadcaster NDR, based on information from the Interior Ministries of the German states, revealed that the number of extremists holding weapons licenses is increasing.

By the end of 2025, more than 1,600 extremists held legal licenses to possess weapons.

More than 1,300 of them belong to the far-right spectrum and the Reich Citizens' Movement, and the rest are left-wing extremists, Islamists, and other groups.

Some states did not provide complete data, meaning the actual number may be higher.

For comparison, at least 1,500 extremists held weapons licenses in 2024.

The “small arms license” falls within the licenses to carry weapons and only allows its holder to possess stun guns or self-defense sprays.

Possession of deadly firearms requires a special permit.

The exact number of firearms in the extremists' possession remains unclear; Only 11 states out of 16 federal states provided information in this regard.

However, the number is certain to exceed 3,000 weapons.

According to federal government figures, in 2024 there were more than 4,000 weapons in the possession of right-wing extremists and members of the Reich Citizens' Movement alone.

The process of withdrawing licensed weapons licenses is complex.

Many gun owners may resort to appealing to the courts, and their appeals are often successful.

These difficulties are reflected in the numbers; According to available data, weapons licenses were withdrawn from 250 extremists during the past year.

On the other hand, federal government data indicate that in the previous year, 360 weapons licenses were withdrawn from individuals belonging to extremist right-wing movements.

According to the law, a person is considered “untrustworthy” to hold a weapons license if he has been involved during the past five years in efforts targeting the constitutional system, or if he is a member of or supports organizations that adopt such efforts.

The Authority for the Protection of the Constitution (the Internal Intelligence Service) is responsible for determining what these “endeavours” are.

But classification by internal intelligence alone is often not sufficient as an excuse to withdraw a license.

The German states are responsible for withdrawing weapons, but the law on carrying weapons is a federal law.

The federal government has tightened the gun ownership law after several major violent crimes witnessed in the country.

Today, Sunday (October 25, 2026), a report by the German newspaper “Welt am Sonntag” stated that the police of the German capital, Berlin, recorded during the first half of this year a total of 585 crimes in which firearms were used.

The report stated that these crimes included 324 cases of threats and 261 cases of shooting.

In turn, the police confirmed the accuracy of the numbers contained in this report.

According to the newspaper, the number of these cases during the same period last year reached 561.

The statistics include sound weapons, irritant weapons, and signal weapons.

Shots were fired from real firearms in 65 cases during the first half of this year, killing two people and wounding others.