The German government has banned the Islamic activist organisation Muslim Interaktiv, accusing it of promoting an anti-constitutional ideology, spreading antisemitism, and attempting to radicalise young Muslims through highly produced social-media content.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the prohibition last week, calling it a “decisive blow against modern digital Islamism.”
The ban was accompanied by coordinated police raids on dozens of properties in Hamburg, Berlin and Hesse, with authorities seizing electronic devices, documents and financial assets linked to the group.
Muslim Interaktiv, known for its slick TikTok and Instagram videos, has built a large following among young Muslims in Germany over the past several years.
It promoted normative Islamic positions such as Islam as a complete way of life, the caliphate and Shari’ah as a guide for all aspects of life.
Its messaging was critical of democracy and framed Muslims as excluded or oppressed in German society.
Muslim Interaktiv also openly criticised Israel and promoted anti-Zionist messages.
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But officials say the group presented itself as a grassroots youth movement but in reality promoted a form of political Islam that rejects democratic values and advocates for an Islamic social order.
“Freedom of religion does not give anyone the right to undermine our constitutional democracy,” Dobrindt said at a press briefing. He accused the organisation of “targeted indoctrination” of Muslim youth and spreading “intolerable hatred,” particularly toward Jews and LGBTQ+ communities.
The ban also targeted two associated networks — Generation Islam and Realität Islam — which authorities say operate in ideological alignment with Hizb ut‑Tahrir, itself banned in Germany since 2003.
As part of the crackdown, German authorities disabled Muslim Interaktiv’s online presence, including websites and social-media channels.
The group did not issue an immediate public statement, and its leadership could not be reached for comment.
Security officials say Muslim Interaktiv represents a new model of “non-violent Islamist activism”: digitally savvy, visually polished and focused on shaping identity politics among second‑generation Muslims.
Legal experts expect the group’s supporters may seek to challenge the ban in administrative court, though such appeals rarely succeed once an organisation is formally classified as anti‑constitutional.
The Interior Ministry said it would continue monitoring online platforms for attempts to rebuild the group under new names, stressing that dismantling “digital ecosystems of extremism” is now a core part of Germany’s security strategy.
Rising Islamophobia in Germany
The crackdown on Muslim Interaktiv comes amid a backdrop of sharply rising anti-Muslim sentiment across Germany.
According to the civil-society organisation CLAIM, 3,080 anti-Muslim incidents were recorded in 2024 — a 60% increase from the previous year. Among these, many were verbal attacks, but there was also a marked rise in discrimination, harassment, and violence, including physical assaults.
In Berlin alone, anti-Muslim attacks surged nearly 70% in 2024, with 644 documented cases ranging from institutional discrimination in schools and workplaces to street harassment.
Women, particularly those visibly Muslim, bore a disproportionate share of these attacks, comprising around 64% of the victims in cases where the gender was recorded.
Official crime statistics also reflect the trend. German authorities reported 1,554 anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2024, including attacks on mosques, property damage, and threats.
In Berlin, more than half of the population surveyed admitted they agreed with anti-Muslim statements — a stark indication of normalisation of Islamophobic sentiment.
