Commissioner for Eastern Europe calls for crackdown after attack on SPD European candidate

The Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Carsten Schneider (SPD), has called for a crackdown following the attack on the Saxon SPD European candidate Matthias Ecke when he put up election posters. "Violence not only hurts people, but also our community," he told Der Spiegel on Saturday. Anyone who attacks or threatens candidates or political rivals is acting outside of our democratic consensus. "The police and investigating authorities must crack down," demanded Schneider. The social majority in the country must also make it clear on the ground that such attacks are outlawed.