German regions urge ban on far-right NPD

[Dennis the 'Bloody Peasant']

Not sure if Discrimination is the right forum, maybe it belonged in Politics.

Anywho, thoughts? Is banning these parties / groups (in any country) the right move?

Interior ministers from Germany's 16 regions have decided unanimously to call for a ban on a far-right party despite fears such a step may backfire.
At a meeting in the northern city of Rostock, they called for the National Democratic Party (NPD) to be outlawed.
Germany's federal Interior Minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, accepted there was a "political risk".
Ralf Jaeger, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, accused the NPD of stoking xenophobia.
"The NPD prepares the ground for far-right violence and stokes xenophobia," he said.
"Their ideology disregards basic human rights and is anti-democratic."
The ministers will discuss the issue with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday.
It will be up to the Federal Constitutional Court to enact an actual ban.
A small group of NPD supporters rallied near the meeting venue on Wednesday.

[BOZG]

Not sure if Discrimination is the right forum, maybe it belonged in Politics.

Anywho, thoughts? Is banning these parties / groups (in any country) the right move?

Interior ministers from Germany's 16 regions have decided unanimously to call for a ban on a far-right party despite fears such a step may backfire.
At a meeting in the northern city of Rostock, they called for the National Democratic Party (NPD) to be outlawed.
Germany's federal Interior Minister, Hans-Peter Friedrich, accepted there was a "political risk".
Ralf Jaeger, interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, accused the NPD of stoking xenophobia.
"The NPD prepares the ground for far-right violence and stokes xenophobia," he said.
"Their ideology disregards basic human rights and is anti-democratic."
The ministers will discuss the issue with Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday.
It will be up to the Federal Constitutional Court to enact an actual ban.
A small group of NPD supporters rallied near the meeting venue on Wednesday.

This isn't the first time that they've tried to ban the NPD. I believe they escaped a previous court case when it emerged that they were so infiltrated by the state that it wasn't clear if it was the actual fascists in the NPD or state infiltrators who were responsible for the rise in violence linked with the group.

But as for your question, banning them isn't the right move. Banning these organisations doesn't cut across racism or fascism. They'll continue to exist with or without a ban on fascist groups. Such moves also sets a precedent that the state can regulate political activism. It sets a precedent that can possibly be used against the left in the future.

[GoddessCleoLover]

I agree with BOZG. Additionally, they might be more dangerous as an underground organization.

[BOZG]

I agree with BOZG. Additionally, they might be more dangerous as an underground organization.

Actually a very good point. There's actually a risk that the state and its mouthpieces actually begin to cover up the extent of the activity of these types of groups if their attempts to ban them are shown to be useless.

[Yazman]

I completely oppose banning them. It just gives them yet another platform from which to spread their bullshit. Furthermore, like the chap up there who came out of Zapata's Gun said, it sets a dangerous precedent for powers that I don't think the government should have. Not only that but it doesn't actually prevent or stop racist or fascist movements - on the contrary it could help to grow them.