Report hate speech and online incitement
You can report a crime, regardless of whether you are the victim, a witness to the offence or an uninvolved party. Selecting the federal state in which the incident took place will help ensure your report is processed quickly. You can file a report informally, by telephone, online or at a police station, either anonymously or by providing your contact details. The online reporting option is intended as an additional service.
The focus of a criminal complaint is the reporting of criminal facts. A distinction is made between different categories of offence. To help ensure the complaint is processed as quickly as possible, please select the category ‘Hate speech and incitement online’.
If you file a report, you will be a witness in the criminal proceedings. Regardless of whether you file your report online, it may be necessary to summon you to the relevant police station as part of the further investigation, for example, to conduct a witness interview with you in person.
You also have the option of attaching photos, evidence or documents to the report as electronic attachments. You should make use of this option in particular to submit evidence – such as screenshots of screen content – to the police at the same time as filing the report. You can also enter the URL of the relevant content in the online form.
Responsible authority
Police stations
Details
Prerequisite
Anyone who is aware of a criminal offence can report it. There are no specific requirements that must be met.
Procedure
A report can be made or submitted online, in writing, by telephone or in person.
If you wish to submit a report online:
Filing a complaint online involves several steps.
You can file a criminal complaint via the online portal. This may relate to various offences.
You access the online police station via a central URL. The federal state responsible for handling the case is selected based on the location of the incident. After selecting the form for reporting online hate speech and incitement, you can provide basic personal details, such as your name, mobile number and email address. You can then enter details about the scene of the offence, the time of the offence, the perpetrator and the incident itself. The process is accompanied by legal information, including guidance for witnesses and accused persons, as well as details on the requirements for bringing a criminal complaint and the decision to discontinue proceedings.
You have the option to submit documents such as proof of purchase, receipts or images – for example, screenshots, photographs of damage or stolen items – along with your report. Particularly in cases of online hate speech and incitement, it is advisable to take screenshots of the posts you wish to report, as content may be altered or deleted subsequently. Please also ensure that relevant information regarding the publication (date, time, username, etc.) and the context of the post is recorded to ensure that the documentation is comprehensive.
Once the report has been submitted, you will receive an email containing a reference number and the contact details of the department handling the case.
The relevant police department will receive and review the report. If you report a criminal offence committed outside Germany or in another federal state, the law enforcement agency will forward the report to the competent authority.
Only when there are no leads available will the public prosecutor’s office discontinue the investigation. The chances of success vary depending on the nature of the offence. As a general rule, the more information you provide, the greater the chances that the police will find the perpetrator.
Anyone who knowingly and falsely suspects a person is committing a criminal offence. The law provides for a fine or a prison sentence of up to five years for this offence.
Deadlines
There is no specific deadline to meet. However, you should be aware of the relevant limitation periods, as criminal offences generally become time-barred after a certain period of time.
Required documents
Where applicable, supporting documents (purchase documents, receipts or photographs)
Costs
None
Processing time
Once we have received your online report, you will receive an email confirmation with a reference number. The processing time depends on various factors. It is not possible to give a specific timeframe.
Miscellaneous
If you report a crime, you are, in principle, a witness in the criminal proceedings. As part of the further investigation of your report, it may be necessary for the relevant police station to summon you, for example, to conduct a witness interview with you in person.
Anyone who is aware of a criminal offence but fails to report it may be liable to prosecution. There are no specific formal requirements. Caution is advised in cases involving a suspected criminal offence. Defamation and false accusation are criminal offences; in such cases, the person making the report must expect legal action to be taken against them. There is an obligation to report crimes such as murder, robbery, war crimes and high treason.
A criminal complaint cannot be withdrawn. You should therefore consider carefully whether you wish to file a criminal complaint. Under the principle of legality, the authorities are then obliged to conduct an investigation.
Legal basis
Strafprozessordnung (StPO):
- § 158 Strafanzeige; Strafantrag
Release note
Machine generated, based on the German release by: Innenministerium Baden-Württemberg, 03.08.2026