Status: 09.09.2021 5:43 p.m.
An insult on Twitter against Hamburg’s Senator for the Interior Andy Grote (SPD) led to a search. There is now massive criticism on the Internet: It is being discussed whether the effort was proportionate.
Three months ago a man wrote to Grote on Twitter: “You are such a dick.” At that time, the Senator for the Interior had described celebrants in the Schanzenviertel as “ignorant” on the Internet. A few months earlier, he himself had violated the Corona requirements. On Wednesday, the alleged author of the insult made the raid public.
Search warrant obtained
A police officer filed a complaint about the insult – Grote then filed a criminal complaint. The public prosecutor’s office was able to obtain the search warrant from the local court and so several officers stood in front of an apartment on Bernhard-Nocht-Straße on St. Pauli on Wednesday morning.
Devices ensured
According to the police, the aim of the search was to find out who had access to the Twitter account. During the raid, officers seized several electronic devices. The searched apartment is said to be the apartment of the accused’s ex-girlfriend. In addition, the accused should have already been known to the police.
Debate: Was the effort disproportionate?
There is now a nationwide discussion about whether the use was proportionate. Since Wednesday, the topic has been one of the most discussed nationwide on Twitter under the hashtag #pimmelgate. In many tweets, the use is criticized as disproportionate. The main question is whether the Senator for the Interior has received special treatment. Other online hatred and agitation proceedings are often discontinued with no results.
Grote sees himself in the right
Grote sees himself in the right. “As a politician or politically active one is constantly confronted with insults and malice on the net. I always advise everyone to report it so that it can be followed,” said the senator on Thursday NDR 90.3. That’s exactly what he did. And in this context there are also more frequent house searches. The Senator for the Interior cannot see any special treatment. His current case may not be the most serious. However, the goal must be that nobody has to be offended and that everyone treats each other with respect.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the word “dick” is enough to qualify as an insult. Searches for insults on the Internet in Hamburg are not uncommon. In 2021, a middle double-digit number of corresponding resolutions had already been passed.
What the other Hamburg parties are saying
There is support for Grote from Sören Schumacher (SPD): Every insult must be reported – regardless of who it affects, he explains. Jennifer Jasberg from the Greens supports the prosecution of hate online. However, the question of proportionality arises for them with regard to insults against women on the Internet. For Dennis Gladiator (CDU), the context plays a role. Because the Interior Senator himself violated Corona requirements, then criticized others and then the insult came. For Dirk Nockemann (AfD), the Senator for the Interior made a fool of himself. He thinks Grote is no longer sustainable. Left-wing politician Deniz Celik calls for the investigation of what he believes to be a disproportionate police operation.
AUDIO: Grote and the Search: What the Other Parties Say (1 min)
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