Context:

Peter Fitzek, a self-proclaimed 'king' of Germany, was arrested along with three senior members of the banned Reichsbürger group for plotting to overthrow the government. This group, aiming to establish a 'Kingdom of Germany,' has developed its own currency, flag, and identification cards, seeking to create separate banking and health systems. German authorities see the Reichsbürger as a serious threat due to its promotion of antisemitic conspiracy theories and rejection of the rule of law. Despite Fitzek's denial of violent intentions, the group has been linked to a previous plot to instigate a coup, including plans to kidnap the health minister. The rise of the far right in Germany over the past decade has increased the perceived threat of such groups, which were once dismissed as eccentric.

Dive Deeper:

• Peter Fitzek and three senior members of his group, the Reichsbürger, were arrested during raids across seven German states for attempting to overthrow the state and establish the 'Kingdom of Germany'.

• The Reichsbürger, banned by the German government, operates with its own currency, flag, and identification cards, and seeks to create independent banking and health systems.

• German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused the group of undermining the rule of law by creating an alternative state and spreading antisemitic conspiracy narratives.

• Fitzek, who claims to have thousands of followers, denied any violent intentions but has often criticized Germany as destructive and sick, fueling the group's radical stance.

• In 2022, the group was involved in a plot to overthrow the government, which included plans to kidnap the health minister to instigate civil war conditions.

• The Reichsbürger group, once considered eccentric, is now seen as a significant threat in Germany, with the far right's political influence growing over the past decade.

• The group finances its activities through crime, posing a challenge to German authorities striving to maintain the rule of law and democracy.