‘Antifa works like fascist stormtroopers’ – German editor’s family car set ablaze in Berlin arson attack despite babyseat

The family car of Julian Reichelt, editor-in-chief of the German news outlet NIUS and former editor-in-chief of Bild, was set on fire early Friday in the Charlottenburg district of Berlin. Video of the burned out car has been spread widely on social media amid concern about rising left-wing violence.

Reichelt reported the attack on NIUS and during a NIUS Live broadcast. He said a neighbor notified him by WhatsApp and that he looked outside to see his family car in flames. “When someone wakes up like that, one is in utter shock.”

+++BREAKING NIUS+++ Nach dem Brandanschlag auf sein Auto wendet sich NIUS-Chefredakteur Julian Reichelt @jreichelt an Daniel Günther (CDU), der NIUS bei Lanz „Feinde von Demokratie“ nannte: „Wenn unseren Leuten oder unserem Eigentum etwas zustößt – it’s on you. Dann warst du mit dabei.“ 👉 https://t.co/EPQk6GnKy3 #julianreichelt #brandanschlag #niuslive #pressefreiheit #linksextremismus #politischegewalt #berlin #ralfschuler #nius #nachrichten #günther

— NIUS (@niusde_) November 13, 2026

“It is completely clear that this was a targeted attack,” Reichelt said. He added that the perpetrators appeared to have scouted which vehicle belonged to him and used what he called “the classic Antifa trick” of placing accelerant on the tires. A child seat on the front seat did not deter the attackers, he said.

Reichelt vowed that NIUS would not be intimidated and would continue its reporting. He also referenced

🇩🇪 German editor’s family car targeted in arson attack in Berlin, with far-left extremists already strongly suspected. NIUS editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt sees his car set on fire overnight. He said a neighbor notified him by WhatsApp and that he looked outside to see his family car in flames. “When you wake up like that, you’re in utter shock.” “It is completely clear that this was a targeted attack,” Reichelt said. He noted that a baby seat in the front of the car did not deter the arsonists. Wolfgang Kubicki, leader of the FDP, wrote that left-wing perpetrators “are becoming increasingly unrestrained — apparently also encouraged by the fact that their parliamentary arm is preparing to take over the Berlin Senate.” Follow: @RMXnews

— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) November 13, 2026

A passerby first reported the blaze at 2:07 a.m. and firefighters extinguished the fire, but the BMW was largely destroyed. Police confirmed the act as a deliberate arson. Since a political motive could not be ruled out, the state protection unit of the federal police assumed the investigation, but so far, no suspects have been identified.

A firefighter was lightly injured during the response when struck by a passing car; the driver fled and was later stopped.

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Politicians and journalists across the spectrum condemned the attack.

Wolfgang Kubicki, leader of the Free Democratic Party, wrote on X that anyone who seeks to intimidate journalists “does not declare themselves an opponent of a particular medium, but an enemy of democracy and the rule of law.” He said he had not expected “such a climate of continued violence against journalists” and that left-wing perpetrators “are becoming increasingly unrestrained – apparently also encouraged by the fact that their parliamentary arm is preparing to take over the Berlin Senate.”

Wer Journalistinnen und Journalisten einschüchtern will, erklärt sich nicht zum Gegner eines bestimmten Mediums, sondern zum Feind von Demokratie und Rechtsstaat. Ich hätte mir nicht träumen lassen, dass wir ein derartiges Klima fortgesetzter Gewalt gegen Journalistinnen und Journalisten erleben müssen. Die linken Gewalttäter werden immer hemmungsloser – offenbar auch ermutigt durch die Tatsache, dass ihr parlamentarischer Arm sich anschickt, den Berliner Senat zu übernehmen. WK

— Wolfgang Kubicki (@KubickiWo) November 13, 2026

Alice Weidel, co-leader of the Alternative for Germany, called the arson “an open attack on press freedom and critical journalism. Anyone who wants to intimidate inconvenient media is attacking the cornerstones of democracy.”

Former Welt editor Ulf Poschardt warned that “Antifa works like fascist stormtroopers. It’s about intimidation and threats – in this case against a dissenter with children.”

Even a handful of public media journalists condemened the attack.

ARD correspondent Gabor Halasz: “Anyone who sets cars on fire is never right, but a criminal,” and RBB journalist Olaf Sundermeyer called it unbearable when journalists’ cars burn. He noted a prior attack on the car of NIUS columnist Gunnar Schupelius in the same district.