German authorities in the city of Potsdam on Tuesday said they had obtained an entry ban against an “EU citizen.”
What do we know so far?
Several German news outlets reported that the ban was imposed on Austrian far-right activist Martin Sellner, with Sellner also confirming the news on his X account. Sellner said in his social media post that he was no longer allowed to enter German territory for three years, otherwise he will pushed back and punished.
The 35-year-old holds hardline views on migration, and has also expressed racist and antisemitic beliefs.
Sellner was reportedly the key speaker at a meeting of far-right individuals in Potsdam in November last year. Sellner is believed to have proposed the mass deportations of people from Germany during the event, in a plan dubbed “remigration.”
Details of the meeting were uncovered in January by the Collectiv media organization and led to massive street demonstrations in Germany against the far right. Members of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) were also present at the event, forcing the party to explain itself to the public.
Germany not the only country to punish Sellner
It’s not the first time that Sellner has clashed with European authorities due to his controversial views.
On Sunday, Sellner was stopped from giving a speech in Switzerland, where he would discuss his “remigration” proposals. The event in the Swiss canton of Aargau was put together by Swiss Neo-Nazi group “Junge Tat.”
Sellner was permanently barred from the UK in 2019 on national security grounds. He had also attempted to enter the country in 2018 but was taken into custody for two days and then deported.
wd/sms (AFP, dpa, epd)
