Zwickau takes action against right-wing election posters

The Zwickau district association of the Greens had filed a complaint against the party “Der III. Weg” and demanded that the banners must be removed immediately. In addition to the large lettering “Hang the Greens”, you can read in smaller letters: “Make our national revolutionary movement known in town and country through poster advertising in our party colors!”

The public prosecutor’s office in Zwickau does not see sufficient suspicion for a criminal offense in the right-wing posters. She informed MDR SACHSEN in a letter, “It would be necessary for criminal liability for public incitement to criminal offenses that the statement clearly aims to motivate the addressees to commit the intended illegal act. This motivation is not sufficiently clear from the poster , especially since the entire text literally shows that the Greens refer to the green posters of the Third Way. ”

Taking into account the fundamental right to freedom of expression according to Article 5 of the Basic Law, it is permissible within the framework of the formation of political will to expressly formulate opposing views in an expressly drastic, malicious and tasteless manner.

In the meantime, the Saxon Ministry of Justice has also intervened. As confirmed by the Ministry of MDR SACHSEN, a report from the General Prosecutor’s Office was requested in order to be able to understand the legal arguments.

Meanwhile, the Zwickau public prosecutor’s assessment of the case has provoked nationwide headlines since Tuesday.

The international Auschwitz Committee has condemned the election posters of the right-wing extremist party – as well as the assessment of the Zwickau public prosecutor’s office. “The sleepy attitude of the local police authorities and the public prosecutor’s office shows once again how difficult it is to deal with downright hardcore Nazis in Germany,” said Executive Vice President Christoph Heubner. It has long been clear to Holocaust survivors that the party is a direct successor to the NSDAP and is ready to use force to propagate its position.

Wolfgang Wetzel, Zwickau member of the Bundestag for Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen, sees it differently. He has filed a complaint against the party because he sees a “murder call” in the posters. In his opinion, the prosecution’s inaction sends a fatal message. “It gives the impression that nothing is happening in Saxony,” said Wetzel MDR SACHSEN. The same posters had been put down by the police in Bavaria for disturbing the public peace by threatening criminal offenses.

In the meantime, the police in Munich have hung up appropriate election posters. According to a police spokesman in Munich, the posters were assessed as “disturbing the public peace through threats of criminal offenses” after examination by the Munich I public prosecutor’s office.

According to the Greens, the “III. Way” has also hung the posters in northern Saxony, Vogtland and Leipzig. A complaint should also be made there.