Saxony-Anhalt court allows weapons permit revocation for AfD members

The Higher Administrative Court of Saxony-Anhalt has ruled that membership in or support for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party can serve as legal grounds for the revocation of weapons permits. The court's decision follows the revocation of firearms licenses for three individuals by local police.

Under the German Weapons Act (Waffengesetz), individuals are classified as ‘unreliable’ if they support organizations pursuing aims directed against the constitutional order. The court rejected arguments from the plaintiffs regarding ‘party privilege,’ stating that security regulations apply equally to all citizens and that the state does not need to wait for a crime to occur to minimize potential risks. The court noted that the AfD's orientation threatens human dignity and democratic principles through the devaluation of people with migration backgrounds and the disparagement of state institutions.

Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang stated that the possession of weapons by extremists poses a danger to the democratic rule of law. Following this ruling, authorities in Saxony-Anhalt may move to review the reliability of more than 100 AfD members who hold various permits for hunting, sport shooting, or small firearms.