International News Opinons Politics

German Federal Council Passes Bill Giving Three Years in Prison for Denigrating EU Flag

The German Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the German parliament, has proposed banning Germans from denigrating both the European Union flag and anthem.

The Bundesrat, which is composed of delegates from the German states, passed a bill that could see individuals who either denigrate the EU flag or the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, punished with a fine or up to three years in prison, Die Welt reports.

German newspaper Saarbrücken Zeitung obtained a draft of the law earlier this year that urged law enforcement agencies “to take firm and effective action against those whose aim is to disparage the fundamental values ​​of the European Union”.


The draft continued, stating that violations would also cover attacks “on the reputation of the symbols of the European Union”.


DOJ Reportedly Appealing Ruling That Limits Feds’ Ability to Use Notorious Spy Tool
Homeowner Uses Shovel to Defend His Pregnant Wife and Child from Would-Be Intruder
House Hearing Witnesses Reveal How Hardworking Families Pay Higher Taxes
California regulators kill charity fireworks for America’s 250th, sparking outrage
8 children dead in mass shooting that began as domestic dispute, police say
Christian in Egypt Faces Terrorism Charges for Simply Declaring His Faith in Jesus in Legal Docs: Report
MS NOW Host Melts Down Live on Air Over Ukraine ‘Whistleblower’ Being Referred for Prosecution
Feds arrest Iranian woman at LAX for allegedly brokering weapons sales for Islamic regime
Claims of Second Sphinx Buried Under Egypt Spark Debate
Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
Texas AG Paxton Launches Probe Into Lululemon for Allegedly Exposing Customers to Harmful Chemicals in Clothing
This Airline Celebrated as an Unruly Passenger Was Put Behind Bars
Cold case breakthrough solves teen killing after suspect lived free for decades: ‘Better be afraid’
Hundreds of activists face pepper spray in violent clash with deputies at Wisconsin beagle research facility
Trump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks ‘tough guy’ IRGC
See also  Virginia redistricting referendum tightens into a dead heat as early voting surges

The newly passed bill must now be ratified by the Bundestag, although no date for a vote on the matter has been scheduled so far.

Germany has laws on the books that outlaw the denigration of foreign flags and national emblems but so far, the European Union’s flag and symbols have not been recognised under the laws.


DOJ Reportedly Appealing Ruling That Limits Feds’ Ability to Use Notorious Spy Tool
Homeowner Uses Shovel to Defend His Pregnant Wife and Child from Would-Be Intruder
House Hearing Witnesses Reveal How Hardworking Families Pay Higher Taxes
California regulators kill charity fireworks for America’s 250th, sparking outrage
8 children dead in mass shooting that began as domestic dispute, police say
Christian in Egypt Faces Terrorism Charges for Simply Declaring His Faith in Jesus in Legal Docs: Report
MS NOW Host Melts Down Live on Air Over Ukraine ‘Whistleblower’ Being Referred for Prosecution
Feds arrest Iranian woman at LAX for allegedly brokering weapons sales for Islamic regime
Claims of Second Sphinx Buried Under Egypt Spark Debate
Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
Texas AG Paxton Launches Probe Into Lululemon for Allegedly Exposing Customers to Harmful Chemicals in Clothing
This Airline Celebrated as an Unruly Passenger Was Put Behind Bars
Cold case breakthrough solves teen killing after suspect lived free for decades: ‘Better be afraid’
Hundreds of activists face pepper spray in violent clash with deputies at Wisconsin beagle research facility
Trump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks ‘tough guy’ IRGC
See also  DOJ moves to vacate Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy convictions of Proud Boys and Oath Keepers leaders

The country also has laws against insulting foreign heads of state, a law that nearly saw the prosecution of left-wing comedian Jan Böhmermann in 2016 over an offensive poem about Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that was later banned by a German court.

While charges were initiated against Böhmermann, they were later dropped, with Chancellor Angela Merkel even admitting that she had made an “error” in viewing the poem as “deliberately insulting”.

In neighbouring France, the government has forced schools across the country to start flying the EU flag alongside the French tricolore.

The move was part of educational reforms enacted by French president Emmanuel Macron that also lowered the age of compulsory school entry from six to three years old.


DOJ Reportedly Appealing Ruling That Limits Feds’ Ability to Use Notorious Spy Tool
Homeowner Uses Shovel to Defend His Pregnant Wife and Child from Would-Be Intruder
House Hearing Witnesses Reveal How Hardworking Families Pay Higher Taxes
California regulators kill charity fireworks for America’s 250th, sparking outrage
8 children dead in mass shooting that began as domestic dispute, police say
Christian in Egypt Faces Terrorism Charges for Simply Declaring His Faith in Jesus in Legal Docs: Report
MS NOW Host Melts Down Live on Air Over Ukraine ‘Whistleblower’ Being Referred for Prosecution
Feds arrest Iranian woman at LAX for allegedly brokering weapons sales for Islamic regime
Claims of Second Sphinx Buried Under Egypt Spark Debate
Trump ally diGenova tapped to lead DOJ probe into Brennan over Russia probe origins
Texas AG Paxton Launches Probe Into Lululemon for Allegedly Exposing Customers to Harmful Chemicals in Clothing
This Airline Celebrated as an Unruly Passenger Was Put Behind Bars
Cold case breakthrough solves teen killing after suspect lived free for decades: ‘Better be afraid’
Hundreds of activists face pepper spray in violent clash with deputies at Wisconsin beagle research facility
Trump renews bridge, power plant threat against Iran in push for deal, mocks ‘tough guy’ IRGC

Story cited here.

See also  Ranking the 2028 Democratic hopefuls at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network
Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter