The city of Lindenberg in Bavaria is seeking to ban a speech by Björn Höcke, the leader of the AfD party in Thuringia, at an upcoming campaign event. This action follows a recent legal challenge where the city initially attempted to revoke the AfD’s access to the Lindenberg Stadthalle, a move the Augsburg Administrative Court deemed unlawful.
Legal Setback and Alternative Action
The court suggested a less restrictive measure: a specific ban on Höcke’s speech. According to a city spokesperson, Lindenberg will now pursue this option. The AfD Westallgäu-Lindau district association has announced it will again challenge any such ban in court, anticipating another expedited legal proceeding.
The dispute centers on an event scheduled for Sunday, February 15th, where the AfD intends to present its candidates for the municipal elections on March 8th. The city revoked the hall rental upon learning Höcke would be a speaker.
Concerns and Legal Reasoning
City officials justified their initial decision by stating they expected Höcke to make criminal and antisemitic statements, as well as statements approving of the Nazi regime. This reasoning was based on Höcke’s two prior convictions for using a banned Nazi slogan.
While the court acknowledged the validity of these concerns, it determined that the city’s arguments were insufficient to justify canceling the hall rental outright, citing the principle of equal treatment for political parties.
Opponents of the AfD have planned demonstrations and a parade alongside the event in Lindenberg, with at least 2,000 participants expected.
Further Legal Challenges
A separate expedited legal proceeding is also underway regarding Höcke’s planned appearance at an AfD event on Saturday in Seybothenreuth, Upper Franconia. The municipality of Seybothenreuth is also attempting to prevent Höcke from speaking. A decision from the Bayreuth Administrative Court is expected on Thursday.
Recently, Höcke repeated the banned SA slogan “Alles für Deutschland” (“Everything for Germany”) during a speech in the Thuringian Landtag, explaining his perspective on a prior conviction related to a 2021 campaign speech in Saxony-Anhalt.
Frequently Asked Questions
What prompted the city of Lindenberg to initially revoke the hall rental?
The city revoked the hall rental after learning that Björn Höcke would be speaking at the event, citing concerns about potentially criminal and antisemitic statements.
What did the court say about the city’s initial decision?
The Augsburg Administrative Court deemed the city’s complete revocation of the hall rental unlawful, but suggested a speech ban for Höcke as a less restrictive alternative.
Is this the only legal challenge involving Höcke’s speaking engagements?
No, a similar expedited legal proceeding is underway regarding Höcke’s planned appearance at an event in Seybothenreuth, Upper Franconia.
As Lindenberg and Seybothenreuth navigate these legal challenges, what implications might these decisions have for the balance between free speech and preventing hate speech in Germany?
