Far-right politician back in German court over use of Nazi slogan
Al Jazeera
The court last month fined AfD’s Bjorn Hocke 13,000 euros for his first use of the Nazi motto.
A senior member of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is back in court for knowingly using a Nazi slogan for a second time.
Bjorn Hocke went on trial on Monday on charges of using a Nazi-era phrase during a party gathering in his home state of Thuringia in December 2023. Last month, the same court fined him 13,000 euros (about $14,000) for a previous use of the slogan.
If convicted again, he could face another fine, or up to three years in jail, according to German media. A verdict could come as early as this week.
During the political gathering, Hocke is alleged to have called out the phrase “everything for” in German, inciting the crowd to reply “Germany”.
The motto, which is banned in Germany along with other Nazi slogans and symbols, was used by the Sturmabteilung paramilitary group that played a key role in Adolf Hitler’s rise to power.
