El Hotzo's not-guilty verdict is rejected by the prosecution.
In a landmark decision, a Berlin court has acquitted comedian Sebastian Hotz, known as "El Hotzo," of charges related to social media comments that were perceived as endorsing the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump. The ruling, handed down on July 23, 2025, emphasized that Hotz's remarks were clearly satirical and did not intend to disturb public order.
The controversial posts made by Hotz, with a large following of around 740,000 on the platform X, had created a storm in the online media and resulted in numerous criminal complaints against him. The posts, which were categorized as a "hate crime," had sparked a heated debate and created a climate that could potentially encourage attacks on state officials.
In his ruling, Judge Andrea Wilms stated that Hotz's post was "punishable satire," even if it might have been considered tasteless. The judge noted that the posts did not legally encourage criminal actions, and such debates are an integral part of a liberal democracy. Following the verdict, Hotz publicly celebrated his acquittal.
However, the public prosecutor's office in Berlin has filed an appeal against the ruling by the Berlin-Tiergarten Local Court. The further procedure of the public prosecutor's office depends on the written reasons for the decision. The public prosecutor has initially filed an "indefinite appeal" against the acquittal of Hotz of the charge of approving the attack and disturbing the public peace.
The attack on Trump in Pennsylvania, which occurred in mid-July 2024, resulted in a visitor's death and injuries to two others. As a result of the posts, the public broadcaster ARD's radio station Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB) ended its cooperation with Hotz on the youth radio station Fritz.
Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the case has been a topic of discussion for about a year. Sebastian Hotz, alias El Hotzo, posted a comment about the attack, comparing it to the "last bus" and expressing satisfaction at the death of fascists. Hotz deleted the controversial posts shortly afterwards. The attacker was killed by security forces.
The acquittal of Hotz marks a significant victory for free speech and satire in Germany. As the case continues to unfold, the public will be closely watching the appeals process to see how the legal system will handle such sensitive issues in the future.
The acquittal of comedian Sebastian Hotz, known as "El Hotzo," on charges related to social media comments about a controversial attack has sparked a debate on free speech and satire in Germany. His post, initially categorized as a "hate crime," was deemed "punishable satire" by Judge Andrea Wilms, yet the public prosecutor's office in Berlin has appealed the ruling.
The ongoing legal proceedings and the subsequent appeal mark a potential landmark case for Germany's handling of sensitive issues in the future, given Hotz's acquittal being a significant victory for free speech and satire.
