The German far-right AfD party suffered two legal defeats earlier this week. This Tuesday, May 14, one of the party’s most radical figures was condemned for using a banned Nazi slogan during a public demonstration. The day before, a court confirmed that placing the movement under surveillance for “suspicion of extremism” was justified.
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With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibaut
“Alles für Deutschland” (All for Germany, Editor’s note): the formula rings true a priori harmless and not surprising in the mouth of a nationalist leader. But it was a slogan of the Nazi assault sections, the SA, banned in Germany since the war like other symbols of the Third Reich.
Björn Höcke defended himself before the court of Halle by estimating that he did not know this reference to the Nazi period. The court found this explanation implausible for a former history teacher.
The AfD leader in Thuringia, where the movement is monitored by domestic intelligence for its proven extremism, is a fan of sulphurous statements about German history.
Sentenced to a fine of 13,000 euros
Björn Höcke had thus described in the past the Holocaust memorial in Berlin for the six million Jewish victims of the Shoah as “ shame memorial “. He also pleaded for a “ 180 degree change » of German memory policy.
The Halle public prosecutor’s office had requested a six-month suspended prison sentence against Björn Höcke, who was sentenced to a fine of 13,000 euros upon arrival. This conviction does not deprive the person concerned of his civil rights. He will be able to present himself in the regional elections in September in Thuringia where the AfD comes from afar leading in the polls with 30% of the votes.
Björn Höcke’s lawyer nevertheless announced a cassation appeal against the conviction.
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