Enlarge image
Luisa Neubauer before a press conference on Tuesday at which Fridays for Future called for a 100 billion special fund for climate protection
Photo: MICHELE TANTUSSI / REUTERS
Luisa Neubauer managed to have around 10,000 euros seized from the account of right-wing populist author Akif Pirinçci.
Pirinçci was ordered to pay the money by the district court in Frankfurt am Main because he had attacked the climate activist with a sexist, demeaning comment on Facebook.
After Pirinçci apparently did not want to pay the money voluntarily, Luisa Neubauer's lawyers decided to get the amount through an account seizure.
“Mr. Pirinçci may have thought that foreclosure would be too much trouble for us, but we are persistent,” explained attorney Severin Riemenschneider from Media Kanzlei, who represented Neubauer in court.
"Mr. Pirinçci did not issue a cease-and-desist declaration, was unreasonable and even made fun of the proceedings in the pleadings," said Riemenschneider.
The seized amount included the procedural costs as well as 6,000 euros, which the court had determined as compensation in its judgment.
This sum would go directly to the organization Hate Aid to support their work, so Riemenschneider.
"This case shows that it is quite possible to defend oneself against sexism, misogyny and other forms of hate speech online," Luisa Neubauer told SPIEGEL in December about the verdict against Pirinçci.
»Sometimes the hatred is so intense that it leaves you speechless.
But I definitely won't keep quiet," said Neubauer.
»All that remains is to send the bailiff«
In the current case, Neubauer was supported by Hate Aid in court.
The organization has already supported Neubauer in more than 50 criminal complaints and helps numerous victims of hate speech, both with advice and with court proceedings.
"We are very pleased that the court has recognized that it is a serious sexualized insult," said Hate Aid lawyer Josephine Ballon.
The compensation payment in the current case is relatively high.
Under the hashtag »HassKostet«, Hate Aid regularly publishes on Twitter how much compensation has been paid in its own lawsuits.
According to Josephine Ballon, it is not uncommon for those convicted in hate speech proceedings not to pay voluntarily.
»If the account details are not known, all that remains is to send the bailiff and then the convicts like to think they are poor and simply don't pay«, says Ballon.
Those affected bear the risk.
This was not necessary in the current case, as the law firm apparently knew Pirinçci's account details.