Police in Germany have seized guns and a Nazi shrine to Adolf Hitler during a series of raids on homes of far-right online hate posters.

State Criminal Police (LKA) and public prosecutors staged the early morning raids on 13 homes across Saxony State on 30th November.

The raids were carried out as part of a nationwide day of action against online hate postings.

The suspects had already allegedly contravened strict German laws against hate speech with their far-right online postings.

During the raids, police seized rifles, handguns, firebombs, artillery shells, and batons.

In one home, they found a shrine to Adolf Hitler with a photo of the Nazi fuehrer beside a hand-carved German Imperial Eagle set above a swastika.

LKA Saxony said in a statement: “The subject of the proceedings are defamation, use of signs of unconstitutional organisations, hate speech, threats, insults, and a violation of the Weapons Act.”

Kay Anders of LKA Saxony told local media that police were alerted to the offensive postings mostly by ordinary netizens but also partly by internet surveillance groups.

The suspects – who are now waiting to see what charges they face – are said to be aged between 16 and 66 and three are women.

Local media reported that police in Germany are increasingly being burdened with tackling online hate speech, predominantly of a far-right nature.

Suspects are said to often be known to police and have criminal records.