Norbert Röttgen Challenges Dobrindt's Characterization of Rioters as 'Chaots from Migrant Milieu'

Norbert Röttgen, the deputy chairman of the Union parliamentary group, has called for a more differentiated perspective on the individuals responsible for the riots that occurred over the weekend. Speaking on the ntv program "Pinar Atalay," Röttgen emphasized that the perpetrators were always individual actors rather than representatives of a unified group.

While acknowledging that many of those involved in the violence were either foreigners or Germans of foreign descent, Röttgen stated that this fact does not justify deriving a common milieu. He explicitly noted that there is no single "migrant milieu" in Germany. This statement serves as a direct response to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, who previously described the rioters as consisting of violent left-wing groups and "chaots from the migrant milieu."

The unrest followed nationwide youth protests organized by the group "Gen Z regelt." According to authorities, tens of thousands of people initially took to the streets peacefully on Saturday before severe disturbances erupted in cities including Frankfurt am Main, Cologne, and Hamburg.

Röttgen stressed the necessity of clearly distinguishing between peaceful demonstrators and violent offenders. He affirmed that demonstrating is a right and a perception of democracy, whereas violence is unjustifiable and requires the strict application of the rule of law. He warned against allowing violent actors to exploit the demonstration rights of peaceful participants for their own actions.

Röttgen is the first prominent Union politician to criticize Dobrindt's specific phrasing. Defense Minister Boris Pistorius of the SPD had previously distanced himself from the remarks, stating that such attribution leads in the wrong direction. Additionally, Luigi Pantisano, head of the Left party, described the comments as a cheap attempt to scapegoat a group to incite hatred against migrants. Felix Banaszak, chairman of the Greens, criticized Dobrindt for attempting to mark a segment of the population as not truly belonging.

Sources: Der Spiegel.