Because she invited the Bremen pastor Olaf Latzel, who was controversial for alleged incitement to hatred, to give lectures, a Protestant congregation in Lower Franconia was attacked. The pastor of the small community in Rentweinsdorf (Haßberge district), Gerhard Barfuß, reported on Thursday to the German Press Agency about a dozen anonymous e-mails with insults.
At the end of 2020, Latzel was sentenced to a fine of 8,100 euros by the Bremen District Court for derogatory statements about homosexuality. However, the judgment is not yet final; According to the regional court, an appeal is planned for 2022. In Franconia, Latzel will speak about following Christ on three evenings this weekend and in the Reformation Day service. The community is expecting fans from all over Germany. “Our goal is not to be provocative,” said Barfuß. It is clear that Latzel is a controversial person, but they still wanted to invite him. According to his own statements, the Franconian pastor received no criticism from the community itself; all protests come from outside.