Frankfurt's special task force to be disbanded for extreme right-wing postings

The special task force (SEK) in Frankfurt would be disbanded because of right-wing extremist statements in chat groups, Peter Beuth, interior minister of Germany's federal state Hesse, announced on Thursday.

"The unacceptable misconduct of several staff members, as well as the turning away by immediate superiors in the Frankfurt SEK has made its complete dissolution necessary," said Beuth in a statement published by Hesse's Ministry of the Interior.

On Wednesday, criminal and disciplinary proceedings were made public against 18 active duty officers and one former police officer of the SEK. Three of the men were superiors who were accused of not intervening as members of the chat groups, according to the statement.

Most of the chat messages dated back to 2016 and 2017. Some text messages and pictures sent would "raise the suspicion that some members of the Frankfurt SEK have a right-wing extremist attitude," the statement noted.

A team of experts would now organize the restructuring of the special unit. A "fundamental restart" was being initiated for the SEK unit and a "completely new management culture has to be created" at lower and middle supervisory levels, said Beuth.