Why Europeans Are Taking The Law Into Their Own Hands
11th July 2025
What happens when governments refuse to govern? We can see the answer in the small German town of Harsefeld, Lower Saxony, which has lately been gripped by a wave of crime. Residents have been complaining of a gang of what appears to be mostly migrant teenagers terrorising the town with violence, drug dealing, and extortion. Police have apparently been unable to deal with the chaos, citing staffing shortages. The police station in Harsefeld is reportedly also closed, forcing emergency calls to be rerouted to a town 15 kilometres away and allowing criminals to flee before the authorities arrive.
In response to this breakdown of the law, local residents have been forced to take the law into their own hands. Groups of citizens have been patrolling the town and recording incidents. A police spokesman has described the groups as “quite creepy” and warned that “a vigilante group doesn’t help anyone.” Neither, presumably, does a completely impotent police force.
Local police say that they are currently investigating a number of reports, but that “it’s taking time,” despite the fact that the gang leaders are known to the authorities and video evidence exists of their crimes. But a significant backlog, as well as the German legal system making it difficult to prosecute minors, means that no charges have so far been brought against any of the perpetrators.