Enissa Amani goes to prison for 40 days after an argument with AfD politician Andreas Winhart – quite deliberately. The 37-year-old explains to im what exactly she wants to achieve with this and what she generally wants for changes in this country star-Interview.
It was in 2018 when the Bavarian AfD MP Andreas Winhart declared at an election event that all Albanians were “thieves”, all black people (he used the condescending “N word”) were “sick”. In addition, he publicly blamed “refugees” for HIV, scabies and TBC cases in his district. In 2019, among others, Enissa Amani responded publicly to his statements and called him an “idiot” and a “bastard”. The consequence: the activist and artist is supposed to pay a fine of 1,800 euros for insulting, the politician remains unpunished. Instead of paying the fine and ticking off the matter, Amani accepts a prison sentence. In an interview with the star the 37-year-old explains the reasons for this.
Ms. Amani, you have been the focus of some discussions in the last few days: You were sentenced to a fine for insulting AfD politician Andreas Winhart. You deliberately refuse to do this and instead want to accept a 40-day prison sentence. Can you explain why?
Because I find it very, very sad that he was not prosecuted for inciting, racist statements. But it is also very important to me to emphasize again at this point that I have nothing to complain about about my sentence. I think it’s just right that I was punished. In fact, I am very happy about the German legal system and that in this country it is important that no one is allowed to insult another. But that he gets away with such an insanely dangerous statement completely free of punishment in any form, is absurd. And I would like to draw your attention to this.
Some users who respond to your social media posts think that they could have chosen another way than using insulting words to stimulate the discussion.
I wouldn’t insult a person just like that. I set great store by politeness and decent behavior. But I also know that racist statements, if they are not shown in a drastic way, often go under and are no longer discussed. I also think that from a purely human point of view it would have been nicer – I’m definitely with the people who criticize my choice of words – to say things calmly. As a person and as a woman, I personally have made a development in this regard, I believe. Peace always has a completely different sovereignty. So on the one hand I understand the people who say that you should respond calmly to even the greatest cruelty in the world.
But I also find that if you sometimes react too quietly to some circumstances, things continue to go the same way afterwards. We have tens of thousands of talk shows talking about problems, about radicalization, about right-wing extremism. There a lot of people talk very calmly and diplomatically and nothing happens. Although things are clearly named. We still have the NSU cases where the files are still not released. Only recently it was publicly reported that of the 19 SEK officers who were sent to Hanau, 13 were involved in right-wing extremist networks. But has something changed, although we talk about it diplomatically, report about it?
Back then I had the feeling that it just took volume, courage and courage and that you only see it when someone says it very loudly, clearly and provocatively – and that’s what I did.
And now made sure that people talked about it.
Yes, and that also opened up new perspectives myself. Personally, I felt that incitement against insult was the order of the day in this matter. At the same time, many are showing that it is actually the case that I have deliberately insulted one person, but that person has insulted around 1.3 million people in Germany alone with his statements. And that many see his statements as an insult. This comparison made me aware again how much injustice there is.
In your statement on Instagram, you said that many people had filed charges against Winhart, mainly for sedition. He has now been acquitted of this. But if black people and Albanians had filed charges of insult, because he explicitly mentioned them, would that have had any effect? Or are statements like the “N-word” or blanket statements, such as that Albanians are criminals, not to be contested as an insult?
At the time, I was informed that there was a complaint against me because of insult and that I can, but don’t have to, comment. But then I went to the police voluntarily: not to defend myself against my report or to comment on it. I know what I said and what the consequences are. I went there because I wanted to make a counter-report. The police officer then told me that I could not take action against him because of the insult, because an insult must always be personal, i.e. very targeted.
From my point of view, however, I was insulted as a person. The bad thing is that that’s not enough to take action against him. Using the “N-word” is not an offense either. What was done: The matter was brought up to the constitutional court and he was acquitted because – so the tenor – his statements in the context of the provocation were considered admissible. For me – and many others – it is clear that this is no longer a simple provocation. That is clearly fascist ideas what these people utter. And many people have written to me that they have often felt explicitly attacked by statements from AfD politicians, and I’ve also received a lot of messages from the queer scene that often have to accept bad words. However, it is difficult to take action against it as a person. To do this, the constitutional court has to make a decision or the party says that it is enough for a party to be excluded. And that’s exactly where something should change. So that such statements may no longer be made publicly.
You were still unsure whether you would actually start your prison sentence and turned to your followers. Have you finally made up your mind?
If you look closely at my wording on Twitter, I said at the end: “I would like to have your thoughts on it.” And then my next sentence is: “Please be brave and please don’t think so regulated.” I’ve already tried to put my answer in people’s mouths somewhere. I had decided to do this for a long time.
What did you hope for through the open dialogue with your followers?
I have wondered if the public understands or even shares my opinion and approach to the matter. I was scared that people would say it was utter nonsense and that I would make it unnecessarily big. It wasn’t about the support at all – and that is of course something wonderful and everyone needs the feeling of not standing there alone – but do more people than me believe that this is the right way? And I am very surprised at how positive this news is. I received almost nothing but encouragement. There was also news that expressed concern that I will be deprived of liberty. Of course there was also news from the right-wing scene, who are happy when I’m “finally locked away”. But basically hardly anyone has questioned the signal.
What would be the best thing you would do with your actions?
I would like us as Germany to be a strong role model for the rest of the world. I had a fantastic school education here and my schooling here also dealt with the Third Reich to a large extent. I was lucky enough to meet contemporary witnesses at school. I had great teachers right through to my Abitur who brought me closer to German history. And we should and could be the most exemplary country in the world, because we practically had the greatest catastrophe here with us – not even a century ago. I would like us to show more solidarity. That such thoughts do not arise abroad either, that Germany is still not denazified; still has real problems in the police. We have such great potential to live in harmony. I would like more people to understand and take action over and over again when they hear statements like Winhart’s, to make it clear that something is happening that shouldn’t be.
And what would be the worst that could happen?
Of course I also have an income, I have partners who work with me. And many of these projects are really great and fit my beliefs and my line. For example, I don’t advertise carelessly and decline almost all moderation offers. And then I and my whole team are afraid that good, important campaigns or offers might be lost after a stay in prison. But my father is also afraid, for example, that something could happen to me there. I don’t know the extent myself, I’ve never been in prison. Maybe I underestimate that grossly.
When are you facing imprisonment?
I have four more shows in London next week and things will get serious in early December.
They set an example and show that one should step out of the comfort zone in order to bring about change. What can each: r individual do who wants to follow your example to also work for a fairer society?
I believe that it is important not to be still and not to stop. My parents come from a country with a completely corrupt, barbaric government. People go to prison there for political statements, are released and then have to go back inside. And that happens thousands of times until something changes. But it has to be fought for – regardless of the grievances. And there are plenty of them. Also in this country. I can also understand that people are preoccupied with their very own worries. That’s human. And for many it is also overwhelming to tackle all problems, to make yourself strong for everyone and everyone. But I think it’s so important that when you see injustice yourself in your environment, make your position clear and say something about it. Things take time. You need education. But also persistence.
Not much has happened in the fight against racism in the last few decades, according to some. Do you think that we will actually feel change in the years to come?
Many people would call this naive, but I call this optimistic: I believe in humanity. I actually believe that we as human beings can create a world that functions in harmony. It’s just that we’re still in our infancy. We are still too slow. But we are capable of so much collectively. To so much that is often incomprehensible. The only problem that happens sometimes: We get tired and we get sad and then we look away. But that we can create a harmonious earth is not a utopia, it is pure realism.