Trial against Höcke for NS slogan: verdict expected in July
Already on Wednesday, the Regional Court dealt mainly with numerous submissions from both the defense and the prosecution. The closing arguments were still pending. It was unclear whether the evidence hearing would be closed on the coming Monday and if plaintiffs could plead on that day.
The chairman of the Thuringia Constitutional Protection Agency-designated far-right AfD regional branch is accused of using a forbidden Nazi Stormtroopers (SA) slogan or encouraging the audience to complete it during an AfD event in Gera, Thuringia, in December.
Hocke is alleged to have called out to the audience "Alles für" and urged his supporters with gestures to complete it with "Deutschland" at an AfD "Stammtisch" in a local tavern in Gera, in front of around 350 attendees. The prosecution sees the offense of joint use of symbols of a former national-socialist organization fulfilled in this.
The presiding judge issued a legal warning on Wednesday that a conviction for accessory liability was also possible.
At the time of the incident in Gera, there was already a proceeding against Hocke for a similar incident in the Sachsen-Anhalt Merseburg. The Magdeburg Regional Court sentenced the 52-year-old to a fine of €13,000 on May 15 for using the SA slogan "Alles für Deutschland" at an AfD campaign event. The judgment is not yet legally binding.
Hocke himself denies any criminal relevance of his statements and repeatedly described them as banalities. In the current trial, he spoke again of "commonplace words" and referred to the proceedings as a "farce." He considers himself "completely innocent."
The defense is trying to prove in the trial that the phrase was not a central slogan of the SA and has been used by representatives of various political factions for a long time. They presented a series of evidence on Wednesday, which the court has not yet decided on. Furthermore, Hocke insists that he knew nothing about the origin of the phrase.
The prosecutor finds this implausible. Instead of showing insight and remorse, Hocke spoke of a "political show trial" in a video on social media, stated prosecutor Benedikt Bernzen on Wednesday. He accused Hocke of a "personal vendetta" against the judiciary.
This "shows a democratic understanding that cannot be reconciled with the liberal-democratic basic order," added the prosecutor. In case of a conviction, Hocke faces a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years.
Hocke is the Landes- and Fraktionschef of his party in Thuringia and the AfD's top candidate for the September 1st Landtag election. The AfD has been leading in the polls for months. Hocke aims to bring the party into government and become Minister-President, but no other party is willing to work with the AfD.
- The Regional Court in Gera, Thuringia, continued deliberations on Wednesday regarding various submissions from both the defense and the prosecution, with the closing arguments yet to be presented.
- It remains uncertain if the evidence hearing will conclude on the following Monday and if plaintiffs will be granted the opportunity to plead on that day.
- Jan Stengel, chairman of the Thuringia Constitutional Protection Agency-designated far-right AfD regional branch, is facing charges for utilizing a forbidden Nazi Stormtroopers (SA) slogan or inciting the audience to complete it at an AfD event in Gera, Thuringia, in December.
- Björn Höcke, a key figure in the AfD, is accused of urging his supporters to complete the slogan "Alles für" with "Deutschland" during an AfD event, which the prosecution deems as a violation of accessory liability for the use of symbols of a former national-socialist organization.
- Halle on the Saale's Regional Court has issued a legal warning that a conviction for accessory liability is possible, following the incident in Gera.
- Höcke himself has denied any criminal implications of his statements and described them as commonplace words, dismissing the proceedings as a "farce" and maintaining his innocence.
- The Public Prosecutor's Office of Thuringia finds Höcke's defense implausible and considers his response to be a "personal vendetta" against the judiciary, contradicting the liberal-democratic basic order of Germany. A conviction could result in a fine or a prison sentence of up to three years for Höcke.
