Pissed 28-Year-Old Faces Daily Fines for Throwing Nazi Salute at Political Event
A 28-year-old hothead found himself in hot water after his obnoxious behavior at a political gathering in Dresden, Germany. The District Attorney's Office dealt a harsh hand, ordering daily fines of 1000 euros.
On a boozy Thursday night, the mouthy troublemaker caused a drama at a CDU campaign booth, littering propaganda materials and verbally attacking a 36-year-old campaign worker before belittling Hitler and giving him an amusing yet offensive salute.
The 28-year-old's attention-seeking actions cast a dark shadow over the rally. After his arrest, he was given stern advice to avoid any future gatherings to protect himself from further trouble.
Navigating Nazi symbols, extremist group support, and derogatory comments involves key considerations:
- Incitement to Hatred (Volksverhetzung): Germany's Criminal Code punishes incitement to hatred with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment for up to three years. Consequences can be even more severe in public settings like political rallies.
- Display of Nazi Symbols: Prohibited in Germany, showing such symbols can lead to fines or imprisonment. The context and offense dictate the severity of the punishment.
- Support for Extremist Groups: Charges can be brought under various sections of Germany's Criminal Code, including terrorism, hate speech, or extremist activities, with sentences ranging from fines to imprisonment.
- Derogatory Comments: Offenses under Section 130 could result in penalties like fines or imprisonment.
- Legal Proceedings: Following incidents, police investigate, gather evidence, and a public prosecutor decides whether to press charges.
- Court Rulings: Strict judicial action has been observed in recent years, with convictions and penalties imposed on offenders, such as the 2019 bomb attack on an AfD office in Döbeln and displaying Nazi symbols or making derogatory comments at public events.
Under Germany's law, the legal consequences and penalties for using Nazi symbols, supporting extremist groups, making derogatory comments, and inciting hatred in public settings such as political rallies include:
- Displaying Nazi Symbols:
- Displaying Nazi symbols is illegal in Germany and can result in up to three years in prison (§ 86a of the German Criminal Code) if done with the intention of glorifying or promoting the Nazi ideology. However, exceptions for artistic purposes exist, and enforcement can be unpredictable[2][5].
- Supporting Extremist Groups:
- Supporting extremist groups, especially those with Nazi ideology, is also punishable under German law. It encompasses activities that incite hatred or violence against specific groups, such as Jews, minorities, or other segments of the population[3].
- Making Derogatory Comments:
- Making derogatory comments that insult, maliciously malign, or defame segments of the population can be punishable under § 130 of the German Criminal Code. This is known as "incitement to hatred" (Volksverhetzung) and can result in imprisonment from three months to five years[3].
- Inciting Hatred in Public Settings:
- Inciting hatred in public settings like political rallies is strictly forbidden. It includes any speech or action that incites hatred against national, racial, religious groups, or other segments of the population. Such actions can lead to serious penalties, including imprisonment[3].
- Specific Examples:
- Ernst Zündel Case: Ernst Zündel, a Canadian Holocaust denier, was convicted in Germany under § 130 for disseminating hate propaganda. He was sentenced to five years in prison for inciting hatred against Jews[4].
- Monika and Alfred Schaefer Case: Monika and Alfred Schaefer, a Canadian-German couple, were convicted in Germany for publishing video clips denying the Holocaust. Monika received a ten-month sentence, and Alfred was given three years and two months for inciting hatred[4].
In conclusion, using Nazi symbols, supporting extremist groups, making derogatory comments, and inciting hatred in public settings are illegal under German law, with penalties ranging from three months to five years in prison, depending on the severity of the offense.
