Proceedings against Goecke dropped after dog excrement attack
The proceedings against the former ballet director of the Hanover State Opera, Marco Goecke, for a dog excrement attack have been dropped in exchange for a fine. A spokeswoman for the Hanover public prosecutor's office said on Thursday that the smearing of a journalist with dog excrement had been deemed an assault. Goecke had to pay a mid-four-figure sum to a non-profit organization that deals with conflict mediation. The "Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung" (HAZ) had initially reported on the dismissal of the case.
On February 11, 2023, Goecke had smeared dog excrement on an author of the "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" in the foyer of the opera house in the capital of Lower Saxony. He had previously accused her of always writing "terrible, personal" reviews. The Hanover State Theater parted ways with the choreographer the week after the attack. According to the management, his contract as ballet director was terminated with immediate effect by mutual agreement.
Despite the dropped charges, public scrutiny towards Goecke's behavior hasn't lessened. The incident at the Hanover State Opera, involving a dog excrement attack on a journalist, has sparked widespread discussions in both the Theater and Media communities.
Source: www.dpa.com
