Investigation on Racist Comment Against AfD MEP Wald Concludes
In a recent development, the Public Prosecutor's Office in Halle has decided to discontinue the investigation against AfD state parliamentarian Daniel Wald, following his controversial comment about the German women's national football team. The comment, which contained a derogatory term for black people, sparked seven criminal complaints for insult and incitement of the people.
However, the Public Prosecutor's Office concluded that Wald's statement did not meet the criteria for incitement of the people or insult, as defined by German criminal law. This decision is based on the prosecutors' assessment that the comment did not cross the threshold of incitement or hate speech.
This kind of decision typically rests on assessing whether the comment violates the legal requirements for a punishable racist insult under the applicable laws. If more detailed or official information is released later, it would typically be found in statements or press releases from the Halle Public Prosecutor’s Office or related judiciary authorities.
Meanwhile, the AfD's attempt to redefine culture, as seen in their proposed "Pride Pass" and the motto "#thinkgerman", has drawn criticism from experts. One expert sees this as an attempt to gain control over the concept of culture.
Elsewhere, a workshop in Thuringia showed participants how to counter racism in daily life, while a group of Thuringian grandmas are engaging against the far-right due to not wanting to spend their retirement in fascism.
The controversy surrounding Daniel Wald began in 2024, when a column discussed the megatrend of freedom of speech and civil courage in relation to countering racism. Mika Kaiyama from the State Network of Migrant Organizations (Lamsa) accused Wald of racism after the post was published.
Wald, who has been sitting in the state parliament since 2018, has been supported by the AfD faction in Saxony-Anhalt, who stood behind MPs Tillschneider and Wald, supporting their Russia trip paid for from faction funds.
In a separate development, the Constitutional Protection in Saxony-Anhalt found no connection between the banned "Kingdom of Germany" and the AfD in the state. The discontinuation of the investigation against Daniel Wald was also met with disappointment from parliamentary group leader of the Left Party in the state parliament, Eva von Angern, who expressed her regret over the decision.
The decision by the Public Prosecutor's Office in Halle not to pursue charges against AfD state parliamentarian Daniel Wald, despite seven criminal complaints for insult and incitement of the people, highlights a intersection of politics and crime-and-justice. Meanwhile, ongoing debates about culture and AfD's proposed initiatives such as the "Pride Pass" and "#thinkgerman" have sparked general-news discussions among experts and critics.
