this post was submitted on 25 Mar 2024
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‘Free speech is a facade’: how Gaza war has deepened divisions in German arts world (www.theguardian.com)
submitted 7 months ago by 0x815@feddit.de to c/europe@feddit.de
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Less than 10 years ago, Germany, and especially Berlin, was held up as a beacon of openness and inclusivity in a western world rocked by Brexit and Donald Trump. Angela Merkel’s decision to take in thousands of refugees displaced by the war in Syria boosted her country’s reputation in progressive circles, with many international artists and academics choosing to make the German capital their new home.

Yet the conflict in the Middle East is showing Germany in a new light, highlighting fissures in society and the arts world that until now had been easier to ignore.

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[–] geissi@feddit.de 25 points 7 months ago (13 children)

Activists have been arrested/fined for chants like “From the river to the sea we demand equality” or “Jews against genocide”.

I don't doubt that they don't know any nuance in anything that contains “From the river to the sea" but who was arrested for “Jews against genocide” and on what grounds?
Do you have a source for that?

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 18 points 7 months ago (12 children)
[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de 2 points 7 months ago (6 children)

Blogs, letters, and articles about letters are very weak sources. They're on the level of opinions. Do you have anything better?

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

So you think the pictures and videos that show the speaking activist being detained by the Police have been staged with the police? You think that recognised organizations who rely on their tax exemption would make false allegations against the government that could deny their tax exempt status and practically kill their work through that?

[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de -2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Pictures and videos are evidence of a single event each, not evidence of systematic opression

Any organisation can make statements which can be argued to be statements of principle, of opinion, or similar, and not face any consequences. Tax-exempt status is removed if they start working for profit, not if they work in the direction of their political beliefs.

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 4 points 7 months ago (1 children)

They can and will lose their tax exempt status or have it threatened if the government argues them to believe "extremist" for which false allegations would be an indication.

Losing the tax exempt status based on broad allegations have happened to the VVN-BdA the Association of people persecuted by the nazi regime, federation of antifascists. Based on it being mentioned in the "constitution protection report" of the interior intelligence in Bavaria the finance office of Berlin has revoked its tax exempt status in 2019. The organization was targeted as "leftist extremists" as they have a decisive anti-fascist stance, given that the organization has been founded by Holocaust survivors and their descendants are organized in it.

https://taz.de/Aberkennung-der-VVN-Gemeinnuetzigkeit/!5645383/

https://taz.de/VVN-BdA-wieder-voll-gemeinnuetzig/!5768978/

[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de -2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

if the government argues them to believe “extremist”

Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist they can feel quite safe from that. Also, well done moving the goalposts.

The fact remains that expressing statements furthering their political interests carries zero consequences. Which is a good thing, without this democracy wouldn't work. It also means that your sources are closer to opinions than to facts. Got any peer-reviewed studies perhaps?

[–] tryptaminev@feddit.de 4 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

Considering not even the openly neonazi AfD are classified as extremist

except in many cases they are, and except the fact that this should be ringing alarm bells when left leaning organizations are targeted by the government. Taking their tax exempt status, like it was done with the VVN is a death sentence to non profit organizations.

Also how do you want to get peer reviewed studies about something that is happening right now and in that extent and with that attention since six months?

[–] crispy_kilt@feddit.de -1 points 7 months ago

Yeah, only some of the Landesverbände, not the federal party - which is what really matters.

So would you say, there is as of yet insufficient evidence for a factual conclusion?

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