Banned magazine ‘Compact’: Activists publish content online

Falkensee. Activists have posted content from the banned magazine “Compact” online. The issue scheduled for August is available in its entirety under a different title, editors Anselm Lenz and Hendrik Sodenkamp said on the sidelines of an AfD event in Falkensee, Brandenburg. Former “Compact” editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer said he was not involved with the publication but welcomed it. According to their own statements, Lenz and Sodenkamp also publish the magazine “Democratic Resistance.”

On July 16, Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser (SPD) banned the magazine, which was classified as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution. She justified the move by saying that “Compact” is a “central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene” and is directed against the constitutional order.

Former editor-in-chief files emergency lawsuit against ban

Elsässer’s lawyers announced that they had filed a lawsuit against the ‘Compact’ ban in an expedited procedure at the Federal Administrative Court last week. The aim is for ‘Compact’ to be able to continue its work and to appear again, says lawyer Gerhard Vierfuß. The court gave Faeser’s ministry a deadline of next Monday to respond.

Elsässer, the lawyers and the activists made their remarks on the sidelines of an AfD Falkensee event, which had previously been the subject of debates. The AfD had rented a hall in the town of Falkensee to hold a press conference. In the meantime, however, the party had talked about a citizens’ meeting and appearances by lawyers from Alsace. The town opposed this and insisted that only accredited journalists would be allowed to ask questions.

The press conference turns into a spontaneous demonstration

In fact, there were many AfD supporters in the room who applauded regularly. Elsässer was also in the audience. The AfD then continued the event outside the city buildings as a spontaneous demonstration to circumvent the demands.

Representatives of the AfD criticized the ‘Compact’ ban. It is an attack on freedom of the press, freedom of expression in Germany is being “controlled” and increasingly restricted, said Bundestag member Steffen Kotré.

RND/dpa