Particle.news
Download on the App Store
10 ARTICLES
·
2mo ago

Hamburg AfD Lawmaker Identified at Kremlin-Linked Far-Right Meeting, Faces Calls to Quit

The AfD’s Hamburg group has opened an internal review following RFE/RL photo analysis placing Robert Risch at a St. Petersburg founding congress of an anti‑globalist alliance.

Ein Aufsteller der AfD. In Hamburg steht ein AfD-Abgeordneter in der Kritik. Er soll einen Kongress von Putin-Ideologen besucht haben.
Robert Risch sitzt für die AfD in der Hamburger Bürgerschaft – und hat anscheinend in St. Petersburg an einem Treffen von Neofaschisten teilgenommen.
Gruppenbild von Männern mit Fahnen
Image

Overview

  • Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty identified Robert Risch using unpixelated event images and a face-matching system after organizers initially obscured attendees’ faces.
  • The Sept. 12 gathering at St. Petersburg’s Mariinsky Palace brought roughly 50 delegates from about 15 countries to launch an ‘International Anti-Globalist League.’
  • Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev and ideologue Alexander Dugin were involved with the event, which featured far-right and neo-fascist groups from Europe, Africa and Latin America.
  • The AfD’s Hamburg parliamentary group said it had not been informed of Risch’s trip and stated the party and faction are investigating and could impose consequences.
  • CDU parliamentary manager Dennis Gladiator demanded Risch be expelled from AfD groups and surrender his mandates, and reports note Risch has not responded to media while former AfD MP Olga Petersen also attended.