Scandal on A3: Hitler salute causes investigations against drivers!

Scandal on A3: Hitler salute causes investigations against drivers!

On June 16, 2025, an incident occurred that not only caused a stir in Pentling, but also heated emotions across the country. A 23-year-old driver was traveling on the A3 motorway towards Passau when he changed at the Regensburg motorway junction and drove onto the A93 towards Hochfranken. There was a frightening incident in which an unknown driver gave a twelve-second “Hitler salute” in the middle lane of the A3 in the direction of the 23-year-old. This martial gesture, which should have no place in our society, led the young man to file a complaint. The police have now started an investigation into the driver of the violent vehicle and have initiated proceedings against him for using license plates of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations. Neumarkt Current reports on this incident, which once again sheds light on the entire issue of right-wing extremist behavior in our society.

But what does it mean when someone shows such signs of contempt? This is certainly not a harmless game. In recent years, right-wing extremist symbols and codes have repeatedly been in the public eye. Such gestures are particularly exploited during protests, such as the recent farmers' protests. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution points out that many right-wing extremist symbols are not punishable because they come from originally harmless contexts. But a closer look is required because how Catapult MV describes, it is often difficult for outsiders to judge whether certain signs can be classified as harmless or right-wing extremist. A silence or looking away can already be interpreted as consent, which requires the commitment of the entire population to combat this dangerous current.

Resistance to right-wing extremist symbols

When dealing with right-wing extremist symbolism, it is important to know which signs and symbols are in circulation. While some symbols, such as the swastika or the Reich war flag, are clearly unconstitutional, many others are considered not prohibited, such as the iron cross or the colors of the Third Reich. The Iron Cross, for example, originally a Prussian award of merit, is often used by right-wing extremists as a replacement for the swastika. And number combinations such as “18”, which stands for Adolf Hitler, or “88”, a synonym for the greeting “Heil Hitler”, are also used again and again. Such information on right-wing extremist symbols can be found in brochures from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution and other institutions.

It is a social task not only to recognize such signs, but also to address them and counter them. The events on the A3 clearly show that the fight against right-wing extremism is far from over. Every gesture counts - and each of us has a good hand when it comes to promoting respectful and tolerant coexistence.