Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has banned the right-wing, pro-Donald Trump publication, Compact Magazin, accusing it of inciting hatred against migrants and ethnic diversity. The ban has sparked controversy, with Faeser stating, “The ban shows that we are also taking action against the intellectual arsonists who stir up a climate of hatred and violence against refugees and migrants and want to overcome our democratic state.” She emphasized that the government would not tolerate ethnic definitions of national identity, saying, “Our signal is very clear: We will not allow ethnic definitions of who belongs to Germany and who does not.”

Following the ban on July 16, several individuals associated with Compact, including its publisher Jürgen Elsässer, had their homes raided. Police seized the magazine’s assets, escalating the government’s crackdown on the publication. Compact is closely linked to the populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is also facing potential bans from lawmakers in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag.

The magazine has been known for its critical stance on Western involvement in the Ukraine conflict, often blaming NATO expansion for the war. Brandenburg state interior minister Michael Stübgen, a member of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), announced that all of Compact’s social media channels would be scrubbed from the Internet, with their content deleted and revenue confiscated.

Earlier this year, Minister Faeser, who has a history of writing for far-left Antifa publications, announced additional measures targeting far-right extremists. These measures include banning declared far-right individuals from owning firearms and tracing donations to allegedly far-right groups.

This ban on Compact Magazin highlights the German government’s stringent approach to combating hate speech and protecting multicultural values, but it also raises questions about freedom of the press and expression. Critics argue that such actions might set a dangerous precedent for governmental overreach and censorship in democratic societies.