Green local politician invented Nazi threats
Manoj Jansen was the alleged victim of right-wing extremist attacks several times - the city of Erkelenz, in whose council the Green politician sat, showed solidarity. But now, according to the party, Jansen has confessed to having perpetrated the attacks himself.
04.09.2022, 12.13 p.m.
Green Party local politician Manoj Jansen from North Rhine-Westphalia allegedly perpetrated far-right attacks against himself.
Since July, Jansen has apparently been attacked repeatedly: The window of his car was smashed in and smeared with a mirror-image swastika. The man from Erkelenz is said to have received razor blades in the mail. A letter signed "NSU 2.0" also turned up, naming September 1 as the date of his death - these are just some of the attacks allegedly perpetrated on Jansen. The State Security Service was investigating. But now Jansen confessed that he had perpetrated some of the attacks himself. This is according to a press release from the police and the public prosecutor's office. Jansen himself has so far not commented publicly on the matter.
Jansen, 33, who also goes by his birth name Subramaniam, was a city councilor for the Green Party in Erkelenz until the weekend. He repeatedly reported right-wing crimes directed against himself to the police since July. In addition to the attack on his car, SS runes and a swastika were also smeared on his doorbell sign. Jansen told the "Rheinische Post", which reported in detail on the alleged attacks, at the time : "Outside, I have recently always looked over my shoulder when I crossed the street. In my apartment I felt safe. That's over now, I no longer feel safe at home."
The city of Erkelenz and the democratic parties of the district council and the district administrator showed solidarity with Jansen , the State Security began to investigate. But during the investigation, "the suspicion strengthened that it did not come to the reported crimes, these were faked and a threat situation was not present," as police and prosecutors write in Friday's statement. Jansen had been questioned and searches had taken place.
The spokesman for the Green Party in the Erkelenz council, Hans Josef Dederichs, told SPIEGEL on Sunday that he had spoken to Jansen on the phone on Friday. He said Jansen told him he had "made up the threat against himself." "He said he once had his bicycle stolen, the window of his car smashed and the air let out of the tires." That, according to Dederichs, is what Jansen said really happened. "Everything else he probably did himself," such as smearing the swastika on his car. He also probably put the SS runes on himself, sent the razor blades in the mail to himself and also wrote the letter with the signature "NSU 2.0" himself, he said.
"Solidarity abused"
The local branch of the Green Party said in a statement that they were "stunned and shocked" by the incident. "Manoj Jansen has abused the solidarity not only of the Erkelenz Greens, but of all local politicians* in the Heinsberg district and beyond," it said. "In view of the actual threats of right-wing violence to which local politicians* and many People of Color are exposed, his actions are inexcusable," Dederichs said in the statement. Jansen had resigned from his posts and left the party as recently as Friday, it added.
According to a now-defunct Green Party website, Jansen grew up in Erkelenz, and his parents came to Germany in 1985. "The political issues I stand for include the fight against right-wing extremism and hate crime," Jansen wrote on the site. And: that his goal is "open and honest local politics".
Manoj Jansen
Original (German)
Archive (German)
Manoj Jansen was the alleged victim of right-wing extremist attacks several times - the city of Erkelenz, in whose council the Green politician sat, showed solidarity. But now, according to the party, Jansen has confessed to having perpetrated the attacks himself.
04.09.2022, 12.13 p.m.
Green Party local politician Manoj Jansen from North Rhine-Westphalia allegedly perpetrated far-right attacks against himself.
Since July, Jansen has apparently been attacked repeatedly: The window of his car was smashed in and smeared with a mirror-image swastika. The man from Erkelenz is said to have received razor blades in the mail. A letter signed "NSU 2.0" also turned up, naming September 1 as the date of his death - these are just some of the attacks allegedly perpetrated on Jansen. The State Security Service was investigating. But now Jansen confessed that he had perpetrated some of the attacks himself. This is according to a press release from the police and the public prosecutor's office. Jansen himself has so far not commented publicly on the matter.
Jansen, 33, who also goes by his birth name Subramaniam, was a city councilor for the Green Party in Erkelenz until the weekend. He repeatedly reported right-wing crimes directed against himself to the police since July. In addition to the attack on his car, SS runes and a swastika were also smeared on his doorbell sign. Jansen told the "Rheinische Post", which reported in detail on the alleged attacks, at the time : "Outside, I have recently always looked over my shoulder when I crossed the street. In my apartment I felt safe. That's over now, I no longer feel safe at home."
The city of Erkelenz and the democratic parties of the district council and the district administrator showed solidarity with Jansen , the State Security began to investigate. But during the investigation, "the suspicion strengthened that it did not come to the reported crimes, these were faked and a threat situation was not present," as police and prosecutors write in Friday's statement. Jansen had been questioned and searches had taken place.
The spokesman for the Green Party in the Erkelenz council, Hans Josef Dederichs, told SPIEGEL on Sunday that he had spoken to Jansen on the phone on Friday. He said Jansen told him he had "made up the threat against himself." "He said he once had his bicycle stolen, the window of his car smashed and the air let out of the tires." That, according to Dederichs, is what Jansen said really happened. "Everything else he probably did himself," such as smearing the swastika on his car. He also probably put the SS runes on himself, sent the razor blades in the mail to himself and also wrote the letter with the signature "NSU 2.0" himself, he said.
"Solidarity abused"
The local branch of the Green Party said in a statement that they were "stunned and shocked" by the incident. "Manoj Jansen has abused the solidarity not only of the Erkelenz Greens, but of all local politicians* in the Heinsberg district and beyond," it said. "In view of the actual threats of right-wing violence to which local politicians* and many People of Color are exposed, his actions are inexcusable," Dederichs said in the statement. Jansen had resigned from his posts and left the party as recently as Friday, it added.
According to a now-defunct Green Party website, Jansen grew up in Erkelenz, and his parents came to Germany in 1985. "The political issues I stand for include the fight against right-wing extremism and hate crime," Jansen wrote on the site. And: that his goal is "open and honest local politics".
Manoj Jansen
Original (German)
Archive (German)
