Good prevention work can only succeed if all partners in a network communicate with each other. Based on this conviction, the idea of a local network for the prevention of extremism in Salzgitter was born. The first partners were the Salzgitter police department, the city of Salzgitter and the Prevention Council against Violence and Crime in Salzgitter.

Following initial preliminary discussions, the "Extremism Prevention Salzgitter" network was founded on Friday, October 19, at the vocational school in Fredenberg. Numerous participants, including from the state education authority, the AWO district association, the job center, local schools, the SOS Mothers' Center and TAG Wohnen, took part.

Those responsible emphasized that Salzgitter is not a hotspot in terms of extremism, but that joint preventative action is important.

In her welcoming address, First City Councillor Christa Frenzel said: "Salzgitter is a cosmopolitan city and has a diverse urban society. Respect and tolerance are values we live by. Unfortunately, there are also forces here that do not accept our democratic values. We are all called upon to take action and combat this!"

Michael Pientka, Chief of Police for the Braunschweig region, added: "Radicalization is not a condition, but a process. It can be stopped with effective networks. Municipal networks play a special role here."

In an introductory presentation, Lisa Gellert from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution of Lower Saxony explained the basics of Salafism. Heike Ehlers then presented the "Competence Center for the Prevention of Extremism in Lower Saxony" (KIP NI for short). Another contact point at state level is the "Counselling Centre for the Prevention of Neo-Salafist Radicalization" (beRATen e.V. for short).

In Salzgitter, the police station has an active prevention team. Claudia Kramer and Fikret Abaci used the event to explain the active prevention work at local schools.

In future, there will be regular network meetings at which all those involved can exchange information and thus enable much more effective prevention of extremism.