By Cindy Harper – Reclaim The Net
A court in the German town of Lindau has issued an €8,400 ($9,801) fine to a man over a post on X containing the phrase “Alles für Deutschland.” The man, identified as Andreas M., had written, “That’s exactly why I vote for the AfD. Everything for Germany,” in July of last year.
Months later, his home was raided at dawn by police, who confiscated laptops, phones, and hard drives.
According to Apollo News, authorities charged him under Section 86a of the German Criminal Code, a law banning slogans or symbols tied to unconstitutional or terrorist organizations.
While prosecutors pushed for a seven-month prison sentence, the court opted for a financial penalty. Both the state and the defense have filed appeals.
Andreas M. has stated that he was unaware of the slogan’s past use by Nazi Stormtroopers and said he intended the comment as a satirical show of support for the Alternative für Deutschland party.
His explanation was not enough to prevent prosecution. In modern Germany, the legal system increasingly treats such social media posts with suspicion.
This is not an isolated event. A growing number of Germans have faced police raids and fines over social media activity deemed offensive or unlawful in a nation without free speech protections.
The boundary between humor and criminal conduct has narrowed considerably, especially when directed at figures within the political mainstream.
One such example is 64-year-old Stefan Niehoff.
These incidents are part of a broader trend. Authorities recently targeted 170 people in coordinated raids over posts labeled as “hate speech.” The vague legal framework surrounding these charges has enabled prosecutors to pursue individuals based on subjective interpretations of offense.
Too bad he caved and said he was being “satirical.” One might have thought he actually loved his country.
To cave is to crumble.
.