Parliament vs. mob

© DAPD

When I saw this picture in the news I just saw some protesters making a statement. The banner sais "Die Würde des Menschen ist unantastbar" - a direct quote from the German constitution of 1945 (Art. 1.1 S.1). It actually is the very first sentence and therefore the most important one, when it reads in English "Human dignity shall be inviolable" (PDF, English).

However, I wondered in disbelieve when I reread the incident in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.). The real story goes like this: When a Nazi-Party (NPD) made public that the new neighbours  in the little village Insel (accidentally German for "island") were convicted sex offenders, the members of the conservative party (CDU) and other citizens found a mob. They protested, harassing the two men and even attacked their home. To control the continuing vigilantism, the police was given special authority. The 400 inhabitants village has become a well secured "island", with CCTV and patrols as well as guards at every street to enter or exit the place.
Since this is continuing, the men and women visible on the photo, certainly have a point, when they refer to the constitution. In this case against vigilantism. Furthermore, these people are not citizens of Insel, but Members of the Saxon-Anhalt Parliament - in other words the representatives of the citizens on state level.
That's so weird, since usually people express their difficulties to the politicians. Since Parliaments are institutions founded by the people, it's a bit like employees telling his boss about how to finance the business, behave on the stock market and lower the wages while rising the workload.

In times, that it is possible that Parliaments protest against their own people, conditions must be very dire.