Germany updates: Police launch crackdown on online hate speech

• Nationwide raids target propagators of online material that aims to foment hatred, including by insulting politicians
• Most teachers in Germany report high job satisfaction, a study shows

Read below for DW's reporting on developments and news stories in Germany on June 25, 2025.

06/25/2025June 25, 2025

Police launch operation targeting hate crime nationwide

German police have launched an operation to combat  hate speech online, targeting particularly people suspected of trying to incite hostility toward particular social groups and of insulting politicians.

The investigations will focus mostly on radical right-wing material posted online, along with insults to politicians at a level punishable by law.

Herberl Reul, the conservative premier of the western state of North Rhine-Wesphalia, where police will also be carrying out numerous deployments as part of the operation, said, "Digital arsonists should not be able to hide behind their cellphones or computers."

The operation, led by the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has been taking place annually for several years.

In a statement, the BKA said police would take action in 180 cases connected with more than 140 investigations, including 65 property searches.

It called on the public to report any cases of hate speech online to authorities.

In May, the BKA issued figures showing that there were 10,732 hate-speech violations in 2024, an increased of some 34% over the year before.

The number has even quadrupled in comparison to 2021, the BKA said.

06/25/2025June 25, 2025

Most teachers in Germany satisfied with job despite complaints of pupil behavior — study

Most teachers in Germany are satisfied with their situation, and a large percentage would choose the job again, a study released on Wednesday has shown.

According to the Schulbarometer report by the Robert Bosch Foundation, 84% of teachers are satisfied with their employment, 70% would take up teaching as a profession again if faced with the choice and 90% enjoy teaching at the schools where they are currently employed.

The high satisfaction ratings come despite the fact that many teachers see pupil behavior as a growing challenge.

The study showed that 42% of the some 1,500 teachers questioned find the conduct of pupils a "central problem," as compared with 35% a year previously. That figure went up to 52% in secondary schools that included pupils who, under Germany's complicated education system, are not intending to go on to university study.

For the first time in the study, teachers were asked about their views on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for teaching purposes.

Here, more than 60% described such technology as having a negative impact on social and communication skills and critical thinking.

More than half (55%) of teachers said they used AI tools less than once a month or never, with 41% feeling "very unconfident" about them. 

Despite this, 57% saw clear advantages to AI tools when used to support individual pupils in their learning goals.

06/25/2025June 25, 2025

Welcome to our Germany coverage

Guten Tag from the newsroom in Bonn!

We are once again covering major news events in Germany, including the nationwide police operation tackling online hate speech and incitement.