German authorities carried out raids across six states on Wednesday targeting individuals suspected of involvement in Brigade N’Hamedu, a group accused of attempting to overthrow the government of Eritrea.
According to a statement from the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, the group is considered a “domestic terrorist organisation” under German law, with 17 identified suspects believed to hold senior roles in its German branch, which has been active since at least 2022.
The prosecutor’s office said the group is part of “an internationally-connected network that intends to topple the Eritrean government”.
Brigade N’Hamedu has allegedly orchestrated violent clashes at Eritrean events in Germany, including Eritrea Festivals in Giessen on 20 August 2022 and 7–8 August 2023, as well as a seminar in Stuttgart in September 2023.
According to the statement, the suspects regard violence against German state institutions and police officers as “legitimate means”, particularly at gatherings supported by the Eritrean government. In these incidents, numerous officers were injured.
In total, 19 properties were searched across Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Rhineland-Palatinate. A parallel search was also conducted in Denmark.
More than 200 officers from federal and state law enforcement were involved in the operation. No arrests have been reported yet.
The prosecutor’s office also revealed that another alleged senior figure in Brigade N’Hamedu, active in both the Netherlands and Germany, was recently sentenced to several years in prison by a Dutch court for his role in clashes in The Hague on 17 February 2024.
Eritrea is widely regarded as one of the world’s most repressive regimes. In recent years, people who fled the country have disrupted festivals organised by the Eritrean diaspora in Europe and North America.
Some say these protests are aimed at the Eritrean government, while others claim the events may instead raise money to support it.
