Unfiltered Take: Jette Nietzard's ACAB Hoodie Fiasco, Still Julia Kloeckner's Worst Nightmare
- By: Krebs Kollektiv
- Reading Time: 4 Minutes
Klöckner's letter causing controversy, not the ACAB clothing item. - Klöckner's correspondence, unlike the ACAB hoodie, is the focus here.
Let's get real, shall we? Jette Nietzard, the Green Youth spokesperson, is known for spouting nonsense. A few days ago, she posted a selfie on the interwebs, flaunting a hoodie emblazoned with "ACAB" - police slang for "All Cops Are Bastards." After the predictable backlash, Nietzard backpedaled, claiming she wasn't implying all cops are pigs, but she alleged her hatred for the system behind the police. She talked about Lorenz, the fellow who got shot by Oldenburg cops and the fear dark-skinned people and those with migration backgrounds feel when they see a squad car.
Now, the Greens got a letter from none other than Julia Kloeckner (CDU), the Bundestag President. Seems she's not too thrilled about Nietzard strutting into the Bundestag rocking that ACAB hoodie. According to Kloeckner, it'd violate the house rules, potentially offending the boys in blue. If Nietzard insists on wearing that hoodie while in the Bundestag, she could be banned.
Nietzard's ACAB Antics are Idiotic, but Kloeckner's Overreaction is Worse
There's no disputing that Nietzard posting the ACAB logo is boneheaded, the statement is misguided, and it's a populist stain on her career. She doesn't owe an apology, as some have demanded. In a democracy, after all, people have the freedom to spew nonsense, even if it's as stupid as an ACAB hoodie. Kloeckner's response, however, is outlandish. And it reeks of the Union's authoritarian tendencies: lecturing people, barking orders, and playing the heavy hand even when they themselves are guilty of the same transgressions.
Remember when Friedrich Merz (CDU), before the federal election, referred to the Greens and the left as "lunatics"? Compared to that, an ACAB hoodie seems like a walk in the park. Nor shall we forget the time Charlotte Merz, Friedrich's missus, bulldozed a ZDF reporter's microphone for asking a bold question about theidden culture.
Friedrich Merz also voted against making marital rape a crime back in 1997. He wanted an opt-out clause that would've allowed wives to veto prosecution, apparently oblivious to the fact that such a system would provide rapists with a golden ticket to continue victimizing their wives. Thankfully, even Merz has since realized the error of his ways.
Julia Kloeckner recently had a bone to pick with churches, chastising them for speaking out on political matters. Newsflash, Frau Kloeckner: in this country, people have the right to express their opinions, whether it's through speech, written word, or image, as long as no criminal activity is involved.
The ACAB Slogan May Not be a Crime, but Kloeckner's Threat is
Here's the deal: the public display of the ACAB logo isn't necessarily a criminal offense, as decided by the Federal Constitutional Court back in 2016. In that case, a football fan wore black pants with the inscription "ACAB," spread across his glutes. The Federal Constitutional Court deemed the inscription to be a form of system criticism.
You see, there's a lot wrong with the German police force. It's true that police brutality often goes unchecked in Germany. Independent investigative commissions are sorely missed. This isn't just a claim from the left-wing zealots, but a criticism echoed by the human rights commissioners of the European Union since 1996 - nearly three decades of squabbling about police accountability.
To validate her criticism of the police, Nietzard pointed to "Lorenz" (wonder if she meant his last name). She referred to the unfortunate 21-year-old Lorenz A., who got shot by the Oldenburg cops from behind. While the investigations into his case are still ongoing, it's unclear if Lorenz A. sprayed pepper spray at the officers. It's a mystery why the officers' body cams were turned off at the time, but that's a topic for another discussion. It's too early to draw any conclusions from this tragic incident.
It's also true that people who look different are twice as likely to be controlled by the police. This isn't just a claim from the leftist radicals, but the result of well-conducted studies that prove beyond doubt that racial profiling is rampant in the German police force.
Nietzard's ACAB Slogan Paints Everyone with the Same Brush
Still, there's no reason to hate the "police system" like Nietzard does. With approximately 330,550 police officers in Germany, the ACAB slogan paints even the hardworking, diligent officers with the same brush. Truth be told, despite justified criticisms, the German police force is one of the best in the world, according to Amnesty International.
While African Americans are frequent targets of deadly police violence in the United States, and Nigerian cops are known to make arbitrary arrests, torture, and kill people, we can't use those standards as our benchmark. European police forces, including Spanish, Italian, and French police, also face allegations of torture, so we're not exactly innocent.
Therefore, Nietzard should donate her pullover to charity, visit police stations, and observe the cops in action. Only then will she gain the respect of the public and stop being a brash rabble-rouser. And perhaps most importantly, she should focus on addressing the issues that truly matter instead of acting like a spoiled brat.
- Julia Klöckner
- Friedrich Merz
- Police
- Lorenz A.
- Oldenburg
- CDU
[1] Punk and Political Protest Music[2] ACAB: A Diagram of Anti-Police Action in the UK
The Commission, under the purview of policy-and-legislation, has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, considering the general-news story about Julia Klöckner's overreaction towards Jette Nietzard's ACAB hoodie fiasco. This proposal, aimed at addressing political issues, comes amidst the ongoing debate on crime-and-justice, particularly in relation to police conduct.
