Germany – A Berlin court ruled Wednesday that campaign posters for the far-right National Democratic Party with the slogan “step on the gas” may remain on display.
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The placards is one of several the far-right party is using in an effort to attract votes for upcoming Berlin state elections. One shows caricatures of Muslim immigrants on a flying carpet with the slogan “have a nice flight home.” Another bears the slogan “step on the gas,” with a picture of the party’s leader on a motorcycle.
Berlin’s Kreuzberg district had ordered the posters taken down, saying they violated German incitement laws.
But the Berlin state court ruled Wednesday that the posters were protected under freedom of speech laws. It noted that although the “step on the gas” poster “could well be intended to arouse associations with Nazi atrocities,” it could also have other meanings.
A U.S. group of Holocaust survivors expressed “horror and disbelief” at the ruling and called for the posters to be banned.
The party isn’t expected to win any seats in the Sept. 18 vote.
Given that such a poster would be entirely legal if posted in BP or willy or near the holocaust museum in Washington under the U.S. First Amendment, why are these American holocaust survivors complaining that they should be disallowed in Germany that has the same freedom of expression laws. Yes, they are disgusting and vile, but nonetheless they are protected speech even under Germany more restrictive laws on holocaust era references
I used to live in Germany, and I know for a fact that no sane german would ever even consider supporting something like this for fear of being accused of being a Nazi….and it is rightly so.
It is illegal to deny the Holocaust in Germany. Why isn’t that protected by the same free speech laws?
you pay for your sins.
germany made a mistake that’s too big to forget.
they have to pay for it now.
and they have to pay with their freedom.
the same freedom that allowed them to kill jews without being prosecuted.