AfD politician Björn Höcke faces punishment for using a SA slogan, amounting to 13,000 euros.
The imminent punishment was inevitable. Thuringia's AfD leader received a sentence for using a banned SA slogan. The public prosecutor's office had requested probation. In his closing statement, Höcke complained about the restricted freedom of speech - only to be chastised.
In the trial against Turingia's AfD politician Björn Höcke for employing symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist groups, the Regional Court in Halle has pronounced a fine. The 52-year-old was ordered to pay 100 installments of €130 each - a grand total of €13,000. Höcke had denied the allegations throughout the prolonged trial. The verdict was not yet final, as an appeal period spanning one week loomed ahead. Should the verdict be deemed binding, Höcke would face a criminal record. He's anticipated to return to Halle's court for a similar case.
In a May 2021 address at Merseburg in Saxony-Anhalt, Höcke concluded with, "Alles für unser Vaterland, Alles für Sachsen-Anhalt, Alles für Deutschland." The last part was a prohibited phrase. The Halle public prosecutor's office accused Höcke of being cognizant of the slogan's provenance and significance. The court chaired by presiding judge Jan Stengel was persuaded that the meek AfD politician was cognizant of the slogan's origin and meaning.
"Höcke understands what he's saying"
Stengel characterized Höcke as "articulate and intelligent," with a background in history studies. He asserted, "Höcke understands what he's saying." Höcke's deliberate action to declare his speech at his party's electoral campaign event, combined with his prominent political standing as the Thuringian AfD parliamentary group's leader, were proffered as contributing factors to the conviction.
Stengel pointed out that other AfD politicians had faced judicial interventions for employing "Alles für Deutschland" on campaign posters, for example. The court assumed Höcke had been cognizant of this. "Our impression is that the cloak of freedom of speech has been strained," Stengel stated, making reference to Höcke and his defense attorneys who had argued in defense of freedom of speech.
In the prosecution's closing statement, they petitioned for a six-month suspended sentence but were rebuffed by the defense lawyers who advocated for Höcke's acquittal. Attorney Philip Müller asserted that no reference to the Nazi era had been evident at the Merseburg event. Moreover, there was a lack of evidence that the slogan had been employed purposely or with forethought. The court had previously intimated a maximum fine.
The Judge rebukes Höcke: this is not an election campaign speech
Referencing the public prosecutor's office, Höcke addressed them in his closing statement. "I take it that you didn’t don the blindfold of justice today, Mr. Public Prosecutor," Höcke asserted. "You didn’t seem to be actively seeking exoneratory instances." The prosecution's argument was "that of a zealous political activist," Höcke said, directing his words at the two prosecutors. He portrayed himself as a "politically persecuted citizen." He rejected the slogan's connotations entirely, proclaiming, "I am blameless and I bear no guilt," Höcke asserted. Höcke persistently connected the slogan to limited freedom of expression in Germany. The judge cautioned Höcke to maintain focus on the matter and not deliver a campaign rally.
The Thuringian AfD was categorized and monitored by the Region's Office for the Protection of the Constitution as a confirmed right-wing extremist party, and Höcke, its state head, hopes to vie as his party's top candidate in the Thuringia state elections on September 1.
Höcke, born in North Rhine-Westphalia, will also be subjected to prosecution on separate charges: An indictment was filed against him in Thuringia's Mühlhausen District Court for incitement. There have been no trial dates established as of late. In another instance, Höcke also cried "Alles für Deutschland" during a bar encounter, though he didn't pronounce the final word but had it chanted by the audience. At that gathering, the Merseburg transgression and the investigations had been a prominent media topic for quite some time.
The allegations concerning the speech in Merseburg were intended to be a part of the current Halle trial, but didn't materialize. No trial dates have been set for this case, either.
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After the Regional Court in Halle fined Björn Höcke for using a banned SA slogan, the AfD politician announced his intention to appeal the decision.
Björn Höcke's use of a prohibited Nazi slogan during a campaign speech drew criticism from the Regional Court in Halle, leading to significant financial consequences for the AfD leader.
Source: www.ntv.de
