Clash over AfD campaign signs prompts Dortmund to take legal action
In an unusual turn of events, the city of Dortmund and the local branch of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party are embroiled in a legal dispute over the use of Dortmund's coat of arms in election advertising.
The conflict, which seems to be escalating during the current election period, revolves around the AfD's use of a slightly altered version of the city's coat of arms on their municipal election campaign posters. The city, however, claims that the use of the coat of arms for election purposes is not permitted to any party, for reasons of neutrality.
The AfD, on the other hand, argues that they have been allowed to use an altered coat of arms in the past, as other parties such as the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Free Voters did in the 2014 municipal election campaign. According to the AfD, they have been using the city's coat of arms on publications for years without complaint.
Despite the city's claims that the use of the coat of arms is allegedly illegal, the AfD district association has rejected the cease-and-desist order issued by the city. The AfD's refusal to remove the city's coat of arms from their posters remains unchanged, and they have even gone as far as to argue that the city has not objected to the use of the coat of arms on publications in the past.
The city's ban on the use of the coat of arms in election advertising extends to posters, the internet, social media, and any signs that could be confused with the city's coat of arms. Existing posters with the city's coat of arms should be destroyed or made unrecognizable, according to the city.
In response to the escalating situation, the city of Dortmund is seeking an injunction against the AfD district association in North Rhine-Westphalia. The ban applies to all election materials, regardless of whether they are explicitly permitted or forbidden, according to the context.
It's important to note that there is no evidence in the search results that a similar legal dispute between the city of Dortmund and the AfD district association over the use of Dortmund's coat of arms in election advertising occurred in previous municipal election campaigns. All mentions relate to recent events around the 2025 municipal election.
This legal dispute is a significant development in the ongoing relationship between the city and the AfD, and it remains to be seen how it will unfold in the coming days.
The ongoing legal dispute between the city of Dortmund and the local AfD party over election advertising involves the politics of policy-and-legislation, as the city claims that the use of Dortmund's coat of arms in election materials contradicts their neutrality policy. However, the AfD argues that they have historically used an altered version of the city's coat of arms in general-news publications without complaint.
