Anti-Semitism commissioner Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger clarifies assembly remarks
North Rhine-Westphalia's anti-Semitism commissioner, Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, corrected earlier misleading statements about the freedom of assembly for foreigners. Speaking to the German Press Agency in Düsseldorf, she acknowledged causing confusion and emphasized that foreigners have the right to assemble. Her concern lied in conducting thorough checks prior to approving assemblies to evaluate potential ties with banned organizations or individuals with problematic statements.
Her initial remarks, made to the WDR magazine "Westpol," sparked debate when she suggested checking the nationality of those registering assemblies due to Article 8 of the Basic Law, which grants assembly rights exclusively to Germans. But Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger clarified she never intended to dismiss demonstration rights for foreigners; instead, she advocated for more rigorous checks to prevent conflicts.
While known for her human rights advocacy and support for Mikhail Khodorkovsky, this subject was not widely covered in her public statements. For a comprehensive understanding of her views on demonstration rights for foreigners, additional sources or official statements from that period should be consulted.
[2]: Source for info on Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger's role and human rights advocacy. [4]: Source for info on Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger and support for Khodorkovsky.
