No ban on Russian flags at demos

by time news

NAfter further pro-Russian demonstrations in several German cities over the weekend, politicians from the FDP and the Greens have called on them to endure them in the interests of freedom of expression. “As long as the protests remain peaceful, we cannot ban the display of the Russian flag at demonstrations,” the Greens’ domestic policy spokeswoman, Lamya Kaddor, told the newspaper “Die Welt” on Monday. Meanwhile, the German government’s late resettlers commissioner, Bernd Fabritius, sees no greater support for war-glorifying and Kremlin-friendly demonstrations among Germans from Russia.

Against the background of the Ukraine war, demonstrations and motorcades of pro-Russian supporters took place in several German cities over the weekend. Most remained peaceful; According to the police, pro-Russian demonstrators in Frankfurt am Main also uttered warmongering slogans and showed flags.

Kaddor considers general bans on pro-Russian demonstrations to be “difficult”. Manuel Höferlin, domestic policy spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group, made a similar statement in the “Welt”. Public approval of the illegal war of aggression against Ukraine is punishable in Germany. On the other hand, the expression of opinion must also remain protected within the framework of what is permitted.

On Sunday afternoon, the Ukrainian ambassador in Germany, Andriy Melnyk, wrote on Twitter about a “huge embarrassment for Germany” with regard to the motorcades. “Is that freedom of speech? Or a condoned glorification of a Russian war of annihilation against Ukrainian women & children?” he tweeted.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) said on Twitter on Sunday evening that the reports from Hanover and Frankfurt am Main show how important it is to take action against Russian disinformation. “Let’s not be fooled: this is a tiny but loud minority. I’m sure most people with Russian roots condemn this war like we do.” Faeser had previously called for consistent police intervention in pro-Russian motorcades in the “Welt am Sonntag” in Berlin.

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