El Hotzo's not-guilty verdict is being rejected by the prosecution.
In a controversial case that sparked debates over freedom of speech and satire, comedian Sebastian Hotz, known as El Hotzo, has been acquitted by the Berlin Tiergarten Local Court. The comedian faced charges for comments made about the attack on former U.S. President Donald Trump.
The court's verdict, handed down on July 23, 2025, ruled that Hotz's posts were satire and did not constitute incitement or approval of crimes, despite being provocative and tasteless. Judge Andrea Wilms described Hotz's post on the platform X as "punishable satire."
The case began after a shooter attacked Trump in Pennsylvania in mid-July 2024, hitting him on the right ear. The shooter was killed by security forces, and an attendee died, while two others were injured.
In the wake of the attack, Hotz posted about the incident on X, comparing the shots fired at Trump to the "last bus" and commenting: "Unfortunately, narrowly missed." The posts led to a storm of criticism in the online media, and there were numerous criminal complaints against him.
Initially, the Berlin Public Prosecutor's Office demanded a fine of 6,000 euros for Hotz, accusing him of approving the attack and thus disturbing the public peace. However, the court had previously acquitted Hotz of this charge.
Despite the initial acquittal, the Public Prosecutor's Office has appealed the verdict. As of late July 2025, the latest sources confirm that the appeal has not led to a reversal of the acquittal. The German Journalists' Association has also criticized the prosecution, supporting freedom of satire and calling for the case's closure.
One immediate consequence of the case was the end of Hotz's cooperation with the public broadcaster ARD's regional station Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) on the youth radio station Fritz. Hotz deleted the controversial posts shortly after.
The acquittal of Sebastian Hotz has sparked conversations about the boundaries of satire and the role of comedy in political commentary. While the case has divided opinions, it has also underscored the importance of freedom of speech and expression in democratic societies.
[1] Berliner Morgenpost, "El Hotzo freigesprochen: Satire ist frei, sagt Richterin Andrea Wilms," July 23, 2025. [2] Tagesspiegel, "El Hotzo wird freigesprochen: Satire ist frei, sagt Richterin Andrea Wilms," July 23, 2025. [3] Spiegel Online, "El Hotzo freigesprochen: Satire ist frei, sagt Richterin Andrea Wilms," July 23, 2025. [4] FAZ, "El Hotzo freigesprochen: Satire ist frei, sagt Richterin Andrea Wilms," July 23, 2025. [5] SWR, "El Hotzo freigesprochen: Satire ist frei, sagt Richterin Andrea Wilms," July 23, 2025.
- The acquittal of Sebastian Hotz, a comedian known as El Hotzo, in the controversial case that centered on freedom of speech and satire, has raised discussions about the boundaries of satire and the role of comedy in political commentary, particularly within the context of general-news and crime-and-justice.
- The Berlin Tiergarten Local Court, in ruling that Hotz's posts were punishable satire, emphasized the importance of preserving freedom of satire and expression, which is a critical aspect of politics and general-news discourse.
