German prosecutors and law enforcement carried out raids against 45 individuals on Thursday who were suspected of posting hate speech against women online. The General Public Prosecutor’s Office in Frankfurt, along with the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) and other law enforcement agencies, led the raids.

The raids form part of the government’s coordinated initiative against misogyny. Under the initiative, the law enforcement agencies had already taken action against 37 other suspects. According to a joint press release published by BKA and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, these suspects posted slander and insults against women, publicly supported rape and sexual assault. The individuals are also accused of disseminating torture and killing videos.

President of BKA Holger Münch said:

Hate and violence, both digital and analogue, are a threat to our democracy and our society. We see how online platforms are increasingly becoming sites of hatred, harassment and discrimination, including specifically against women. The action taken today makes it clear. We consciously go into the spaces of hate, identify acts and perpetrators, bring them out of anonymity and hold them accountable.

The basis for the raids is a judgment by the Cologne Higher Regional Court from June 9, 2020. In this case, the judge confirmed that slurs against women are punishable for incitement under section 130 of the Criminal Code.

The actions were taken on Thursday, one day ahead of the International Women’s Day. Through the initiative, the authorities aim to hold misogynists accountable and raise awareness of the issue.