Construction โคFoamโฃ Attacks Targetโ Cars inโ Germany, Raising Fears of โคElection Interference
Berlin, Germany – november 23, 2024 โข – German authoritiesโข are investigating a waveโค of sabotage targeting vehicles across multiple federal states, involving the deliberate covering of cars inโข rapidly expanding construction foam. Theโ incidents, numberingโข over 100โ reportedโ cases as of โtoday, are raising concerns about โฃpotential attempts to influence the upcoming federal election, though a clear motive โand โขperpetrator remain unidentified.
The attacks, first reported in โlate October 2024, haveโ primarily affected vehicles parked in residential areas, causing critically importantโค damage andโ disruptionโ for owners. While no injuries have beenโค reported, theโฃ incidents haveโฃ sparked anxieties aboutโ politicalโ instability and the vulnerabilityโ of democratic processes. Investigators are treating the cases as potential acts ofโ sabotage, examining possible linksโ to extremistโ groups orโ foreign interference. โคThe scale โขand coordinatedโข nature of the attacks suggest a deliberate campaign rather than โฃisolated incidents.
The first reports โsurfaced in Brandenburg on October 27, 2024, quickly spreading to Berlin, Saxony, and other regions. โฃVictims have described finding their vehicles entirely encasedโ inโ polyurethane foam,rendering them unusable โand requiring professional removalโ services. The cost of cleanup rangesโ from several hundred to severalโค thousand โฃeuros per vehicle, placing a โfinancial burden on those affected.
Police have stated that the โคfoam used in the attacks is โฃa commerciallyโ available product, making tracing the sourceโ challenging. However, investigators are โขanalyzing surveillance footage and โขsocial media activity for clues. Authorities have not ruled out any โคpotentialโ motives,including environmental activism,anti-government sentiment,or attempts to sow โฃdiscord ahead of the election.
“Weโค are taking these incidents very seriously,” stated a โspokespersonโ for the Federal Criminal Police Office โค(BKA) on November 22, 2024.โฃ “All available resources are being deployed to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice. We are also workingโ closely with domestic intelligence agencies to โassess the potential political โimplications.”
germany has experiencedโ heightened security concerns โฃin โrecent โขmonths, amidโ growing fears of Russian sabotage โฃand hybridโ warfare tactics, asโฃ reported by Zeit Online โฃin Decemberโฃ 2024 and January โข2025. While no direct link toโ these broader concerns has been established, authoritiesโ are exploring all possibilities. The attacks come at a sensitive time, with Germany facing numerousโ challenges, including โขeconomic uncertainty andโค a polarized political landscape. The federal election is scheduled for autumn 2025, and โthe outcome could have significant implications for the country’s futureโฃ direction.