Scandal in Güstrow: Police illegally trained with war ammunition!

Scandal in Güstrow: Police illegally trained with war ammunition!

The incidents surrounding the shooting range in Güstrow and the police training there cast a dark shadow on the security authorities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. As NDR reports, the police have been training on the private “Großer Bockhorst” shooting range since 2008. Not only were regular exercises held here, but so-called “Special Forces workshops” were also held. It is striking that ammunition was fired between 2015 and 2019 that was subject to the War Weapons Control Act, which raises questions about the legality of this training.

The dark clouds are thickening because the illegal shooting training sessions came to light as part of investigations into the right-wing extremist prepper group “Nordkreuz”. Frank T., operator of the shooting range, was temporarily a member of this group's chat group. Although the investigation by the Rostock public prosecutor's office was discontinued in 2021 due to alleged violations of the War Weapons Control Act, the matter does not appear to be over. The files were forwarded to the weapons authority of the Rostock district, which conducted a year-long investigation against Frank T., but without any concrete results.

Right-wing extremist entanglements and failures

According to the results of the investigation so far, responsibility for the use of unauthorized ammunition cannot be attributed solely to the operator, as the police apparently relied on compliance with the regulations. Constanze Oehlrich from the Greens sharply criticized the cooperation between the state police and Frank T. Another point that makes the incident particularly explosive is the possible opening of a committee of inquiry in the state parliament. This is intended to clarify what mistakes were made in dealing with right-wing extremist structures, especially the “Nordkreuz” group.

In the meantime, politicians are becoming vigilant. According to Taz, the Schwerin public prosecutor's office has brought charges against Frank T. and an employee of the weapons authority. They are suspected of having violated the War Weapons Control Act on several occasions and of even having taken part in other illegal activities. The charges range from attempted obstruction of justice to incitement to theft.

The gun rights situation is tense

In the context of these incidents is also the general situation of right-wing extremists who have firearms permits. As [Tagesschau](https://www.tagesschau.de/inland/innenpolitik/rechtsextremisten- Waffenerlaubnis-100.html) reports, over 1,000 suspected right-wing extremists had such a permit in 2022. Disarmament is progressing slowly, and there are many indications that there is a need for action in dealing with extremist structures. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is already planning to tighten gun regulations to counteract illegal gun ownership.

The entanglements surrounding Frank T. and his connections to the “Nordkreuz” group show how deeply rooted the problem is. It remains to be seen whether and what consequences this unpleasant story will have for the responsible authorities and those responsible.