Criticism of the approach
“No imprint”: That’s why the Berlin police scratched posters of the Hamas hostages from advertising pillars
The posters are hung in public places in many cities (here in Munich). The Berlin police have now removed them from an advertising pillar.
© Lukas Barth / DPA
There is great outrage over the police’s removal of posters with the faces of the Hamas hostages from an advertising pillar in Berlin – the authorities have now justified their actions.
A video of the police officers’ actions has been circulating on the Internet since at least Tuesday morning and has provoked outraged reactions on social networks – from “unbelievable” to “shameful” to “disturbing and sad.”
The Berlin police then confirmed that the incident had already taken place last Thursday. “Due to the suspicion of unauthorized posters, our colleagues removed them from the advertising column,” said the authorities. The police told the “Bild” newspaper another case from the Lichterfelde district.
Berlin police point out the obligation to provide legal notice on posters
The police told several media outlets (including “BZ”) that the officers had taken action on their own initiative because the posters “had no imprint within the meaning of the press law.” Investigations have been initiated into suspected violations of the Berlin Press Act and damage to property.
According to the press law, a person responsible must be named on publications. Violations are considered an administrative offense and can be punished with up to 5,000 euros. In practice, there are countless posters in Berlin and other cities on which the imprint obligation is not complied with – without being penalized.
In order to prosecute damage to property, the owner of the Lifaß column must file a criminal complaint. According to “Tagesspiegel”, this did not happen, although a spokesman for the Ilg-Außenwerbung company admitted that the wild posters were “a difficult issue”. “We get into trouble with corporate customers when their advertising is covered over,” he told “Bild”.
According to the police, the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office is now reviewing the entire process.
Sources: Berlin police, “Tagesspiegel”, “BZ”, “Bild” newspaper