extremism
Fine for hateful comments about federal politicians
Files are on the table before a trial in a district court. photo
© Swen Pförtner/dpa/Symbolbild
A 41-year-old man has been fined after a spate of hate messages about prominent politicians. For example, the man had denigrated female federal politicians on the Internet as “a fat piece of shit” or “the antidote to Viagra”. During the Corona crisis, he worked particularly hard on the then Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn and also incited criminal offenses against the CDU politician. “Does the mask requirement also apply in the cattle car to Auschwitz,” was another post by the man.
A 41-year-old man has been fined after a spate of hate messages about prominent politicians. For example, the man had denigrated female federal politicians on the Internet as “a fat piece of shit” or “the antidote to Viagra”. During the Corona crisis, he worked particularly hard on the then Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn and also incited criminal offenses against the CDU politician. “Does the mask requirement also apply in the cattle car to Auschwitz,” was another post by the man.
Ultimately, the man was convicted on Thursday by the Augsburg District Court of incitement to hatred, public incitement to commit crimes and insulting people in political life. He received a fine of 135 daily rates – a total of 2025 euros. Since the man has no work at the moment, the daily rate was relatively low at 15 euros. He was originally charged with twelve acts, but was ultimately convicted of nine cases.
The man had admitted all postings. His defense attorney justified his client’s comments in particular with his depression. His client, a former judicial and customs employee, therefore had to give up his civil servant status. However, the judge made it clear that none of this was a justification for such insults. Freedom of expression is not unlimited, he said. “There are limits, and you have clearly exceeded the limits,” he said to the accused.
