Stop what you're doing order - "Racist and revolting": cruise association brings lawsuit over AfD's "deportation schedule"
Cruise companies from all over the world are pursuing legal action against a calendar released by a faction of the AfD city council in the southern Brandenburg town of Senftenberg. The calendar, titled "The most beautiful deportation ships," featured images of cruise ships with the logos of various companies clearly visible. AfD local politicians used these images along with slogans like "Right to a homeland. We also bring them back" and "Holiday at home, but without a return ticket."
The CEO of the German branch of the International Cruise Line Association (CLIA), Georg Ehrmann, spoke out on Tuesday in Hamburg, demanding the AfD to issue a cease and desist order to stop the distribution of the calendar. If the AfD refuses to take action, Ehrmann stated that he will file a request for a temporary restraining order. Neither the Brandenburg state AfD nor the AfD in Senftenberg have made any comments regarding the case as of yet.
CLIA CEO: Deplorable and reprehensible actions
"Each company is suing the AfD individually to send a strong message that this racist and offensive action will not be tolerated," said Ehrmann. "We are also examining for damages." Previously, RBB24 had reported on the case.
The cruise line companies made it clear that they have nothing to do with the slogans of the AfD. Carnival Cruise Line told RBB, "We are in shock that images of our ships, where people from various backgrounds and cultures peacefully vacation and work, have been used for the racist messages of the AfD."
Ehrmann, the CEO of the Cruise Line Association, pointed out to the broadcaster, "Cruise shipping represents values such as openness and tolerance. We have many different nationalities on our ships."
AfD in Senftenberg Unwilling to Comment
On the AfD Oberspreewald-Lausitz's Facebook page, there is a video from January of this year in which an AfD local politician promotes the calendar. The AfD had already created a "deportation calendar" with airplanes in Baden-Württemberg previously.
The AfD member of the Senftenberg city council, Silvio Wolf, replied to a request from dpa on Tuesday, "I refer to the answer to RBB." In the written statement, it mentions, "The faction leader and I have come to the conclusion that, due to the municipal elections and the associated activities, it is not possible for me and the faction to answer your questions promptly." Thus far, the Brandenburg state AfD has not commented on the case.
Read also:
- Georg Ehrmann, the CEO of the German branch of CLIA, is based in Hamburg and has strongly criticized the AfD's use of cruise ship images in their 'deportation schedule'.
- The AfD local council in Senftenberg, situated in the Brandenburg region of Germany, has come under fire from the cruise industry for using images of their ships in a controversial calendar titled 'The most beautiful deportation ships'.
- Despite the backlash, the AfD in Senftenberg has remained silent on the issue, with their local politician Silvio Wolf only referring questions to RBB and stating that they are too busy with municipal elections to provide a prompt response.
- The Business association for the German cruise industry, represented by Georg Ehrmann, is considering filing a lawsuit against the AfD to stop the distribution of the calendar and seek damages for the use of their ships' images in such a divisive and offensive context.
