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"Said": fine for poster campaign for Hanau terror victims - Regensburg mayor under pressure

2022-05-12T17:24:37.395Z


"Said": fine for poster campaign for Hanau terror victims - Regensburg mayor under pressure Created: 05/12/2022, 19:13 By: Stefan Aigner At the official presentation, Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer adorned herself with the poster campaign "Say their Names" in March 2021. © Michael Bothner After a fine was imposed on the initiator of a poster campaign for the victims of racism in Regensburg


"Said": fine for poster campaign for Hanau terror victims - Regensburg mayor under pressure

Created: 05/12/2022, 19:13

By: Stefan Aigner

At the official presentation, Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer adorned herself with the poster campaign "Say their Names" in March 2021. © Michael Bothner

After a fine was imposed on the initiator of a poster campaign for the victims of racism in Regensburg, the mayor came under increasing criticism.

Regensburg – The predecessor of Regensburg Mayor Gertrud Maltz-Schwarzfischer (SPD) is not at a loss for clear words.

In connection with the fine imposed on the applicant for a poster campaign for victims of racism, Joachim Wolbergs (Brücke) speaks of "mess" and "humbug" on Wednesday.

Regensburg mayor under pressure because of the fine: the city praised itself for the poster campaign

At the meeting of the Education Committee in the Regensburg City Council, the report by the Office of Remembrance Culture and Prevention of Racism is actually discussed.

The fact that the action is praised in it, the organizer of which was fined by the Regensburg regulatory office, not only causes annoyance among the Wolbergs.

During the "Say their Names" poster campaign last year, several streets and squares in Regensburg were temporarily named after the victims of racism, including the former Regensburger Fatih Saraçoğlu.

He was one of the nine victims of the Hanau attack on February 19, 2019.

After poster campaign for Hanau terror victims: normal administrative action?

The city has imposed a fine of around 250 euros on the person who reported the campaign, a member of the long-established working group for foreign workers (aaa), because of several incorrectly hung posters.

Not because he was identified as the perpetrator, but simply because he was the applicant.

An objection to this did not help.

A protest note from the Greens also met with no reaction.

According to the city's press office, the matter is now going to the district court.

The mayor squirms.

Of course, we stand behind the poster campaign that the aaa, as a cooperation partner of the city of Regensburg, put together on the occasion of the International Weeks Against Racism.

They supported it "with the deepest conviction", included it in the program and fully agree with it in terms of content.

"That's why the administration doesn't accept everything that violates the conditions, regulations, agreements." Then the administration takes action - as in other cases.

"This is normal administrative action."

Regensburg Mayor criticized: Greens speak of a "scandal"

City Councilor Daniel Gaittet (Greens) describes the prospect that aaa, as a city cooperation partner, could now be taken to court by the city as a “scandal”.

Even the fine is a "completely wrong signal" for civil society.

On the one hand, the city adorns itself with the campaign, on the other hand, the cooperation partner who organized the campaign is being persecuted by the city.

Without prior informal contact or communication.

"I see you as the mayor as personally responsible here."

Maltz-Schwarzfischer does not want to accept that as such.

The matter had not gone over her desk.

However, she will research and check whether there was actually no contact in the run-up to the fine.

(By the way: Our brand new Regensburg newsletter will keep you regularly informed about all the important stories from the World Heritage city and the Upper Palatinate. Register here.)

Unequal treatment when posting posters

Joachim Wolbergs refers to possible unequal treatment.

During election campaigns, there are often parties that post posters in places that are not permitted, hang up too many posters or do not remove them after the election.

"In case of doubt, the administration calls 27 times afterwards, until it's finally cleared away or they clear it away themselves," says Wolbergs.

Irmgard Freihoffer (left) also confirms this.

Parties would always be contacted, in writing and by telephone.

There is no fine notice without trying to solve the problem elsewhere beforehand.

Wolbergs therefore demands: "There can be no difference in the treatment of parties and a civil society organization." And of course the mayor takes responsibility for stopping "such a humbug".

"You are the head of administration." Maltz-Schwarzfischer now wants to clarify - a month and a half after a corresponding press release from aaa, which was also sent to you - whether there was actually no contact in the run-up to the fine notice.

City had organizer's cell phone number

This confirms when asked by aaa board member Michael Waffler.

"The applicant had expressly left his cell phone number and asked to simply call him if there were any problems." But the first thing the young man received was a hearing sheet for an administrative offense and the threat of a fine.

Months after the campaign and long after there were no more posters - neither legal nor illegal.

All news and stories from Bavaria can now also be found on our brand new Facebook page Merkur Bayern.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-05-12

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