AfD Says German Domestic Intelligence Chief's Dismissal Politically Driven

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Roland Hartwig, vice-chairman of the AfD party's parliamentary group in the Bundestag, claimed that German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution head Hans-Georg Maassen was dismissed as his remarks about the situation in Chemnitz contradicted allegations by the German government, including by Chancellor Merkel.

Germany's spy chief was dismissed after calls to resign from opposition politicians, who have suggested he was supportive of right-wing views. The scandal erupted after Maassen said he had reservations about the authenticity of videos showing far-right violence amid the recent anti-migration protests in Chemnitz. Germany's government said on Tuesday it would dismiss Maassen from his post.

"The decision taken is clearly politically driven. Mr. Maassen as head of the domestic intelligence agency has publicly opposed allegations made by the German government that foreigners had been chased by right-wing extremists on the streets of Chemnitz in the wake of a homicide committed by immigrants … Maassen had to step down because he told the truth and thereby contradicted the German Chancellor," Hartwig told Sputnik.

Hartwig added that Maassen’s viewpoints were confirmed by many journalists present in Chemnitz, the local general prosecutor and by the prime minister of Saxonia.

READ MORE: AfD MP Says Protests 'Urgently Needed' in Germany to Rectify Merkel's Mistakes

Chemnitz has seen a wave of mass anti-immigrant rallies and protests in recent weeks, with thousands of people, including far-right radicals, taking to the streets. The rallies were sparked by the murder of a German citizen on August 26, allegedly by two migrants from Iraq and Syria, who have since been arrested. One of the detainees was later released.