German police sue American woman for slander for calling them 'Nazis'

[Allenseiei]

I know "Nazi" calling has become a widely spread thing in America but, like the article said, in Germany is one of the worst kind of insults. I doubt in many countries you can get away from calling the Police such insults (because Nazi contains a huge amount of them) without a fine.
The fine is understandable and if there is a further criminalization then it should be on not willing to pay the fine, not on her calling them "Nazis" though.

[Ravenblade]

I know "Nazi" calling has become a widely spread thing in America but, like the article said, in Germany is one of the worst kind of insults. I doubt in many countries you can get away from calling the Police such insults (because Nazi contains a huge amount of them) without a fine.
The fine is understandable and if there is a further criminalization then it should be on not willing to pay the fine, not on her calling them "Nazis" though.

Not to mention: It was calling a Federal Officer a Nazi. That's like approaching the Pope naked. In Germany we have this thing called 'defamation of a civil servant'. Ignorantia legis non excusat since she knew what the risk was.

[Shanden]

In Germany we have this thing called 'defamation of a civil servant'.

This is just a myth, look it up. It applies to every citizen.

[Deleted]

Not to mention: It was calling a Federal Officer a Nazi. That's like approaching the Pope naked. In Germany we have this thing called 'defamation of a civil servant'. Ignorantia legis non excusat since she knew what the risk was.

actually "Beamtenbeleidigung" doesn't officially exist :P it often gets a harsher sentence then "normal" defamation though, but that's mostly because civil servants are in a position where they have to take so much crap, lots of judges make the argument that people trying to uphold the law and things like that shouldn't have to put up with such stuff on a regular basis. on the other hand, while ignorence doesn't excuse an act it may actually get you of with a lighter sentence. She however wasn't ignorant of the law, at least nothing implies she was, considering her job it's even pretty likely she knew exactly that it was against the law.

Agreing with what you said though, just wanted to clarify the part about defaming civil servants

[ipaq]

actually "Beamtenbeleidigung" doesn't officially exist :P it often gets a harsher sentence then "normal" defamation though, but that's mostly because civil servants are in a position where they have to take so much crap, lots of judges make the argument that people trying to uphold the law and things like that shouldn't have to put up with such stuff on a regular basis. on the other hand, while ignorence doesn't excuse an act it may actually get you of with a lighter sentence. She however wasn't ignorant of the law, at least nothing implies she was, considering her job it's even pretty likely she knew exactly that it was against the law.

Agreing with what you said though, just wanted to clarify the part about defaming civil servants

She's an american, she's ignorant.

[Noradin]

to add to the "i think you are a nazi" bit, context is very important for things like this, "i think you are a nazi" may be stretching it, but let's say "i would call you a motherfucker but..." would still count as slander, because it is clearly meant with the intent to convey just that, calling you a motherfucker. on the other hand Saying "hey, i AM allowed to say i think you did a shitty job there, now if i implied you where a goatfucker that would be a different story..." then context would matter a lot, where you just trying to explain a difference ? or where your words chosen with the intent to hurt someones dignity.

No, your example would be an insult at most, but not slander (in Germany).

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But there are legal consequences for even stating an opinion in Germany. Germany has become the very thing they fear worse. The Stasi thought police would be very proud to see what West Germany has become.

This is satire, right?

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She's an american, she's ignorant.

Well, if she can provide credible proof that she calls everyone she meets a "Nazi" as form of endearment of because verbal tic, then she can get off with that.
I find that unlikely though and "ignorance" really does not cut it as an excuse. The few cases where it does are named in the respective law. (For example: Genuinely trying to save someones life and making it worse.)

[Deleted]

No, your example would be an insult at most, but not slander (in Germany).

if i would go to another person and tell him you're a goatfucker it would be slander, but yea you're right. I beg pardon though, english obviously isn't my native language so at times i get somewhat mixed up with some terms, although i still stand by the message that intent is what mostly counts in how things like that are treated.

Take Jan Böhmermann (a german Satirist for people not that much into german/turkey politics) who in fact did an abusive poem (he literally called it that in german) about Recep Tayip Erdogan which started kinda like "just for the record, in germany we have freedom of expression , so I AM ALLOWED to say xyz things, i would however not be allowed to say you (rape children, fuck goats , beat women.... etc) that would be slander. Important distinction here, he told this to a shitton of television viewers in a way that made it quite clear he doesn't think all to well about him, though he did get in fact off in the end because as satire he basically is allowed to get away with a lot more if one can clearly see a satirical aspect in the whole thing. but yes, Slander it would only be if i told others you fuck goats, in a way that makes it sound at least semi plausible, that's correct