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2d ago

Police Raid Wera Forum Sect in Duisburg, Seize Weapons in Dawn Operation

The operation follows years of scrutiny over the community’s strict internal rules focused on male authority with punitive measures for LGBTQ members.

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Overview

  • Duisburg police, backed by special units, raided the Wera Forum’s headquarters and a nearby residence at 6 a.m. on July 30, seizing two air rifles, a blank pistol and a taser.
  • A 64-year-old man was injured during the operation and remains hospitalized as authorities investigate suspected illegal weapons possession involving him and his wife.
  • Officials described the raid as the most substantial enforcement action against the sect following long-running allegations of concealed arms.
  • The Wera Forum presents itself as a church with locations in Duisburg, Castrop-Rauxel, Wuppertal and Heilbronn and has been under scrutiny since a 2019 report.
  • A 2019 Sekten-Info NRW report labeled the community Christian fundamentalist and criticized its enforcement of strict gender roles alongside rejection of homosexuality.