German police have arrested 25 people in raids across the country, on suspicion of plotting to overthrow the government.

German reports claim the group consist of far-right and ex-military figures and that they had planned to storm the parliament building, the Reichstag and seize power. 

A German man referred to as a prince called Heinrich XIII, 71, is alleged to have been central to the plans. 

Federal prosecutors claim he is one of the ringleaders and is amongst those arrested. 

Others are said to include members of the extremist Reichsbürger [Citizens of the Reich] movement. The group are known to the police due to their violent attacks and racist conspiracy theories. 

An estimated 50 men and women are alleged to have been part of the group who are said to have plotted to overthrow the republic and replace it with a new state modelled on the Germany of 1871 – an empire called the Second Reich.

“We don’t yet have a name for this group,” said a spokeswoman for the federal prosecutor’s office.

Raids, arrests and questioning – far-right plot included ex-military

The raids took place across 11 German states, with two people being arrested in Austria and Italy, according to Germany’s DPA news agency. Those detained were due to be questioned later in the day. 

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann tweeted that a major anti-terror operation was taking place and a suspected “armed attack on constitutional bodies was planned”.

The group had been plotting a violent coup since November 2021, according to the federal prosecutor. 

Reports say former members of the military also played a significant role in the coup plot, and included ex-elite soldiers from special units. 

The plotters had already established plans to rule Germany, the federal prosecutor’s office said. Members said they could only release their goals by “military means and violence against state representatives” – and that included killing people. 

It’s been reported by public broadcaster ZDF that a former far-right member of the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, was also part of the plot and was set to be the group’s justice minister, with Prince Heinrich as the leader.