A prominent critic of Germany’s pandemic restrictions who has repeatedly spread false information about the coronavirus has been acquitted of hate speech over comments about Jews and Israel.
A regional court in the northern city of Ploen ruled on Tuesday that Thai-German microbiologist Sucharit Bhakdi did not break the law when he described Israel as worse than Nazi Germany.
In a video posted online in 2021, Bhakdi also said that “the terrible thing about Jews is: they learn well” and described the country of Israel as a “living hell”.
The court concluded that it could not be established without reasonable doubt that Bhakdi had spread anti-Semitic hatred towards Jews rather than criticizing the Israeli government and its policies, German news agency dpa reported.
LEFT-WING GERMAN CHANCELLOR BANGS OUT ‘FREQUENT’ CLIMATE PROTESTORS WHO BLOCK ROADS, DEFACE ART
A critic of Germany’s pandemic restrictions who has repeatedly spread false information about the coronavirus has been acquitted. (Fox News)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Prosecutors had argued that such comments could lead to Jews in Germany becoming the target of hate.
The judges also said Bhakdi’s claims about the COVID vaccine being part of a second Holocaust did not constitute a minimization of the Nazi genocide that killed 6 million Jews, public broadcaster NDR reported.
Bhakdi, who was greeted by dozens of supporters upon his arrival at the court, could face a fine if convicted.
The sentence can be appealed.
