ATTACK: Fire and Flame for RHEINMETALL

Someone takes it personally: Left-wing extremists demand "Switch Off Rheinmetall" – and set fire to the garden shed of RHEINMETALL CEO Armin Pappberger, greeting a recently imprisoned RAF terrorist.

On Monday morning around 5 a.m. in Hermannsburg, the garden shed of RHEINMETALL CEO Armin Pappberger is set on fire. No, definitely not a later barbecue accident, which the fire department responds to at 4:16 a.m. The perpetrators are left-wing extremists who have explained themselves via the online portal INDYMEDIA: "During the night of April 28th to 29th, 2024, we placed an incendiary device at Armin Papperger's property in Hermannsburg (...) on his garden shed. Papperger is the CEO of Rheinmetall, one of the big players in the German arms industry."

Stock prices and greetings to the RAF

In the confession letter left at the garden shed, the attackers mention RHEINMETALL's economic success: "Since 2022, Rheinmetall's stock price has quintupled; Papperger himself has replenished his stock portfolio with Rheinmetall shares several times. In 2023, the company, which has joined the DAX index, increased its revenue to 7.2 billion euros, aiming for 10 billion in 2024. Before February 2022, the annual production of artillery shells was at 70,000 units, in 2023 at 350,000, and in 2024 they are expected to be 700,000." At the same time, they accuse RHEINMETALL of "militarization" and criticize German history in general. They also express slight criticism of Vice Chancellor Habeck: "Papperger is one of the arms managers with particularly high media presence. The times when the arms industry suffered from its seedy image are over. In March 2024, Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck reassured at a meeting of the 20 most important German arms producers: 'We need this industry!'"

Climate War and Indirect Threat of Murder

And then they call for a climate war: "It is obvious that armies and the arms industry are the largest destroyers of the environment, devouring huge amounts of resources and, of course, being the largest producers of greenhouse gases. The fight against climate destruction is also the fight against war, the military, and the arms industry!" Finally, they send regards to a recently imprisoned RAF terrorist: "Freedom for Daniela! Strength and luck to all those in hiding from the radical left and those who are planning to militantly attack power structures!" A direct threat, knowing that the RAF has directly murdered important figures who stood in the way of their ideology.

The confession letter was published on INDYMEDIA four hours after the fire. The shed is said to have remained unharmed inside. The attack against the corporation, directed against the person leading it, must still be taken more than just personally. It wouldn't be the first time that extremists become pawns of foreign intelligence services and promote sabotage and murder. With "Switch off Rheinmetall," a campaign theme is set for the scene. The attack also fits the theme of today's "Revolutionary May 1st" demo in Berlin - at least in theory, they seem to have coordinated well with the poster makers. HERE is the full text of the confession letter directly on the left-wing extremist portal INDYMEDIA.

Demo poster for Berlin: Arms companies become the campaign target for left-wing extremists.