Frankfurt Police Special Forces Disbanded Over Far-Right Messages

The German city of Frankfurt's Special Task Force (SEK) is being disbanded at an order of the Hessian state minister in charge of interior, his office announced on Thursday

BERLIN (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th June, 2021) The German city of Frankfurt's Special Task Force (SEK) is being disbanded at an order of the Hessian state minister in charge of interior, his office announced on Thursday.

This comes a day after prosecutors said an investigation was underway into 18 serving and one former officers who exchanged far-right messages and imagery in chat groups in 2016 and 2017. Hesse's interior ministry said three were being probed for condoning the messaging.

"Today, we begin a fundamental new start for SEK.

The tactical police force will be profoundly restructured. Furthermore, it must have a completely new leadership culture at the lower and middle levels," State Interior Minister Peter Beuth said.

German police and armed forces have been hit by scandals over suspected far-right extremism among their members. Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer disbanded a company of the military's special forces last year over similar allegations.