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[–] 65 points 9 months ago (13 children)

Publicly insulting a person is a crime in Germany

One of the smallest crimes.

They could have stopped him to ask for his ID, name + address. It does NOT justify their violent treatment.

Even if they decided to take him first, for asking his details later, there was no need = no justification for this immediate violence.

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  • [–] 13 points 9 months ago

    Of course. As I said, I'm not trying to support or defend the methods they used here. I'm just saying that when you're insulting a policeman, at a demonstration or anywhere, you've committed a crime and will be arrested. It's not a smart move. The title here implies that he was arrested for "calling them out" or that it's about the demonstration being Pro-Palestine, but this is the fastest way to get arrested at any demonstration.

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  • [+] -8 points 9 months ago (11 children)

    Theres a difference between insulting a normal person and insulting a cop (in German this is called "Beamtenbeleidigung). Does this justify the amount of violence? No. Will he get away with it? Yes.

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  • [–] 35 points 9 months ago* (7 children)

    Common misconception. "Beamtenbeleidigung" is not a thing in law, just regular Beleidigung, which can be directed at anyone and is punishable with a fine or theoretically even up to a year in prison. Public interest needs to be determined though, which is more likely to be the case with officials, famous people etc.

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  • [–] 6 points 9 months ago* (4 children)

    Just for clarity, I can't legally call someone an idiot in Germany?

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  • [–] 11 points 9 months ago (3 children)

    You cannot. The rough justification for the law being as it is, is that an insult is attacking/damaging their dignity, which every human is entitled to.

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  • [–] 3 points 9 months ago (2 children)
  • [–] 9 points 9 months ago (1 child)

    To be clear, you will not serve time in a cell for it, you'll at most pay a fine.

    Unless you insult a chancellor or the state senator of the interior of Hamburg, then the police will also illegally search your home and wreck it in the process to send a message.

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  • [–] 22 points 9 months ago

    Theres a difference between insulting a normal person and insulting a cop (in German this is called "Beamtenbeleidigung)

    Not true. It is only a legend. No legal difference.

    The only difference is a practical one: cops bring it to court more often than normal people.

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