German authorities conducted raids across the country on Thursday targeting individuals suspected of posting misogynistic hate speech online. A total of 45 suspects in 11 states were interrogated during the early morning raids, which did not result in any immediate detentions.
The coordinated raids were part of an annual initiative known as the 'combating misogyny on the internet' day of action, established in 2022 and strategically scheduled one day before International Women's Day.
In Germany, the dissemination of derogatory content targeting women can be considered a punishable offense under incitement to hatred laws. To prepare for the raids, authorities monitored online platforms for posts that potentially violated anti-misogyny regulations and worked to identify the individuals responsible. The identified suspects' information was then forwarded to the respective public prosecutor's offices for further investigation.
Illegal communications that were flagged included posts containing sexualized insults or slander against women, public solicitations for nude photos, as well as content promoting rape, sexual assault, or the distribution of violent videos. Despite existing legislation, many instances of degrading or threatening online behavior towards women often go unaddressed, leading to concerns among women about potential online attacks.
The raids were carried out by various law enforcement agencies, including Germany's Central Office for Combating Cybercrime in Frankfurt, the Federal Criminal Police Office, and several state-level authorities.
