The party “The Third Way” does not have to hang up its controversial election posters with the slogan “Hang the Greens” in Zwickau. The administrative court in Chemnitz on Tuesday at least partially granted an urgent application by the right-wing extremist party. However, the stipulation of the court is that the corresponding posters are to be hung at a distance of at least 100 meters from the election posters of the party “Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen”.
Zwickau had ordered the posters to be removed
The city of Zwickau had previously ordered that the relevant election posters were to be removed. The court justified the successful urgent motion of the right-wing extremists by stating that, according to the principles for election advertising established by the Federal Constitutional Court, it was currently open whether the strict requirements for such an encroachment on the fundamental right of freedom of expression were met. When weighing up interests, the Chamber considered it appropriate to use the spatial distance to arrange a perception of the posters that was detached from the Greens’ election advertising. The decision is not yet final.
“Hang the Greens” can be read in large letters on the election posters. Below that, in smaller letters, is the attached sentence: “Make our national revolutionary movement known in town and country through poster advertising in our party colors.”
City files a complaint, federal greens want to sue
The city of Zwickau announced in the late afternoon that it would appeal against the decision of the Chemnitz Administrative Court to the Bautzen Higher Administrative Court. On the part of the city it is said that they consider this decision to be wrong and want to achieve that the posters are removed from the public space. The complaint should be submitted to the Higher Administrative Court by Thursday at the latest. Mayor Constance Arndt justified the move by saying that it made no difference for the city whether the posters were hanging in one place or 100 meters away. “The call to hang the Greens is and remains completely out of the question, undemocratic and irresponsible!”
Greens federal manager Michael Kellner announced after the judgment that the party would “take legal action against it”. He said he couldn’t understand the verdict. “Calls for violence have no place in our country.”