Disruption during the Off-Season Interview with Söder

In a series of unsettling events, a right-wing extremist group, the Identitarian Movement, disrupted an ARD summer interview in Berlin's government district on Wednesday afternoon. The incident, which involved approximately 20 to 30 demonstrators, took place around 12:35 pm during the interview with CSU party leader Markus Söder.

The demonstrators, identified as being from the right-wing scene, threw flyers and attempted to create a disturbance. However, the close cooperation between the ARD and responsible security authorities, coupled with the technical and editorial measures taken, ensured a disturbance-free interview. The interview with Mr. Söder was completed before the incident occurred.

The police, who were already on site during the interview, quickly intervened, dispersing the demonstrators and temporarily detaining five individuals. Following the incident during the interview with AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel on July 20, the ARD tightened its security measures to prevent such disruptions.

The protest action during Ms. Weidel's interview was clearly audible in the broadcast, while the demonstrators during Mr. Söder's interview were unable to disrupt the recording. The far-right Identitarian Movement claimed responsibility for the action and distributed a video on the online platform X.

This incident marks the second time political art activists, such as the Center for Political Beauty, have initiated a protest action during an ARD summer interview. The broadcasting corporation confirmed that the summer interview with both political leaders was recorded without disruption.

As the situation unfolds, the ARD continues to uphold its commitment to providing unbiased and distraction-free interviews, ensuring the public receives accurate and timely information.