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Hammerskins Germany, an offshoot of a long-standing ultra-racist organization originating in the US, has been banned in Germany by the Interior Minister.

According to the ministry, the extremist group was promoting racial theories with ties to Nazi ideology.

Searches were conducted in 10 regions across the country, focusing on 28 residences owned by members of Hammerskins Germany.

The ban also applies to their regional branches and the sub-group "Crew 38," in accordance with Germany's laws against organized activities opposing the German constitution.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser in Tuesday's statement said that Germany struck "a hard blow against organized right-wing extremism" and that authorities are "putting an end to the inhumane activities of an internationally active neo-Nazi association in Germany".

This marks the 20th prohibition issued by the Ministry of the Interior against far-right organizations in Germany, the statement added.

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The Hammerskins, originally an American grassroots skinhead gang, evolved into a more organized and disciplined international group by 1999, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a leading monitor of hate groups in the US.

They were recognized for their strict recruitment process, well-defined plans for racist political violence, and "viable chapters" in various countries, including Australia, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia, and Russia.

However, over time, the Hammerskins saw a decline in their influence as the American neo-Nazi grassroots movement grew, making it increasingly challenging for the group to maintain central control.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of far-right activity in the US and Europe, driven by the mid-2010s, with many established groups and long-time extremists reactivating and finding success. This revival has been facilitated by the use of social media, encrypted messaging services, and online payment platforms, allowing for more efficient networking, recruitment, and funding compared to their 1990s heyday.

The core of these groups' activities still revolves around propagating racial theories rooted in Nazi ideology, which includes organizing live concerts, distributing audio recordings, and selling anti-Semitic materials.

Members worldwide refer to themselves as "brothers" and consider themselves the elite of the far-right skinhead community.

The German branch of this organization, known as the Hammerskins, boasts approximately 130 members according to the Interior Ministry, and holds a prominent position within the extreme right-wing scene in Europe.

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Following a series of attacks, including the attempted assault on a synagogue in Halle in October 2019 and a racially-motivated incident in Hanau near Frankfurt in February, resulting in nine casualties, the country has prioritized far-right terrorism as the most significant threat.

Towards the end of 2022, German authorities thwarted a significant extremist conspiracy aimed at overthrowing the federal government and replacing it with a right-wing minor aristocrat as the nation's leader.

This coup endeavor was planned by the Reichsbürger movement, believed to have up to 20,000 followers nostalgic for various historical periods in German history. There are concerns that this movement, along with other right-wing groups, may have successfully recruited members from the police and armed forces.