BERLIN, (Reuters) – German police found several places in the Eastern State of Saxony where they were conducting an investigation into a plot by anti-vaccination groups to assassinate the state’s Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer.

Police said that the searches were conducted in Dresden to find individuals belonging to a Telegram group. There, plans for their murder were being discussed as part of the coronavirus curbs by the state government.

After an investigation by ZDF last week, authorities came across the group Dresden Offlinevernetzung. This is Dresden offline networking.

ZDF reported that Telegram members spoke out about the assassination of representatives from the Saxony government during meetings in Dresden.

Special forces participated in Wednesday’s raids after Telegram users made suggestions that the Telegram group might have crossbows and sharp weapons. Saxony police tweeted (NYSE:)

Saxony is home to the 2nd highest new coronavirus case rate and the lowest rate of vaccination in Germany. In recent weeks, there have been protests against coronavirus restrictions.

In what was seen by many as an implicit threat to violence, a protest group held a torch-lit gathering at the residence of Saxony’s Interior Minister last month.