Raid against “hater community”: 15 apartments searched after smear campaign

Because of a concerted smear campaign against a 44-year-old man from Karlsruhe, investigators nationwide have taken action against 15 suspected members of a “hater community”. Police and public prosecutors said 15 apartments were searched in seven federal states. In addition to a larger indoor cannabis plantation, extensive data storage media were seized. Searches were carried out in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Hunting man in real life and online

The suspects are said to have acted badly with the man, who, according to the authorities, appears on social media with “strongly polarizing content” in many ways: Among other things, they are accused of coercion and threats, theft, damage to property and slander. For example, they damaged the 44-year-old's home and the graves of his family members.

In addition, they sent a large number of emails with offensive or threatening content in the name of their victim to politicians, memorial sites, retail companies and even educational institutions. Some of these emails also had inciting and right-wing extremist content. This triggered criminal charges and investigations against the 44-year-old.

Numerous crimes committed in the name of the victim

The suspects, aged between 22 and 49, are said to have committed numerous crimes between March 2023 and September 2026 and blamed them on the 44-year-old. The group's actions had a significant impact on the man.

The person concerned publishes live streams of up to 80 minutes long, primarily on YouTube, as a spokesman for the prosecution said. In it he describes himself as an “entertainer” and deals primarily “with self-portrayals and stories from his everyday life”, but also with politics and social issues in a “strongly idiosyncratic form”.

The investigation therefore began in January 2024. According to the information, Internet users had come together in the loose “hater community” that communicated over the Internet. There they coordinated and prepared actions against the 44-year-old, it was said. According to the authorities, parts of the group call themselves the “Free Crusade” (FKZ).