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‘Free speech is a facade’: how Gaza war has deepened divisions in German arts world (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 2 years ago by to c/europe@feddit.de
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Less than 10 years ago, Germany, and especially Berlin, was held up as a beacon of openness and inclusivity in a western world rocked by Brexit and Donald Trump. Angela Merkel’s decision to take in thousands of refugees displaced by the war in Syria boosted her country’s reputation in progressive circles, with many international artists and academics choosing to make the German capital their new home.

Yet the conflict in the Middle East is showing Germany in a new light, highlighting fissures in society and the arts world that until now had been easier to ignore.

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[–] 3 points 2 years ago (5 children)

So you think the pictures and videos that show the speaking activist being detained by the Police have been staged with the police? You think that recognised organizations who rely on their tax exemption would make false allegations against the government that could deny their tax exempt status and practically kill their work through that?

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  • [–] -2 points 2 years ago (4 children)

    Pictures and videos are evidence of a single event each, not evidence of systematic opression

    Any organisation can make statements which can be argued to be statements of principle, of opinion, or similar, and not face any consequences. Tax-exempt status is removed if they start working for profit, not if they work in the direction of their political beliefs.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    They can and will lose their tax exempt status or have it threatened if the government argues them to believe "extremist" for which false allegations would be an indication.

    Losing the tax exempt status based on broad allegations have happened to the VVN-BdA the Association of people persecuted by the nazi regime, federation of antifascists. Based on it being mentioned in the "constitution protection report" of the interior intelligence in Bavaria the finance office of Berlin has revoked its tax exempt status in 2019. The organization was targeted as "leftist extremists" as they have a decisive anti-fascist stance, given that the organization has been founded by Holocaust survivors and their descendants are organized in it.

    https://taz.de/Aberkennung-der-VVN-Gemeinnuetzigkeit/!5645383/

    https://taz.de/VVN-BdA-wieder-voll-gemeinnuetzig/!5768978/

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  • [–] -2 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    if the government argues them to believe “extremist”

    Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist they can feel quite safe from that. Also, well done moving the goalposts.

    The fact remains that expressing statements furthering their political interests carries zero consequences. Which is a good thing, without this democracy wouldn't work. It also means that your sources are closer to opinions than to facts. Got any peer-reviewed studies perhaps?

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago) (1 child)

    Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist

    except in many cases they are, and except the fact that this should be ringing alarm bells when left leaning organizations are targeted by the government. Taking their tax exempt status, like it was done with the VVN is a death sentence to non profit organizations.

    Also how do you want to get peer reviewed studies about something that is happening right now and in that extent and with that attention since six months?

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