Pensioner riots in Greifswald: hate emails brought to court!

Pensioner riots in Greifswald: hate emails brought to court!

In addition to the typical afternoon scenario in Greifswald, a certain Ralf R. is causing a stir. The 60-year-old pensioner, seemingly an expert at typing heated emails, directs his frustration over the local tax situation and in particular at Mayor Stefan Fassbinder of the Green Party. “Anti-German” and “left-green-fascist” are his favorite terms to vent his anger. But this is now turning into a drama in court!

Ralf R. does not charge GEZ fees for reasons of conscience and sees himself as a victim of a system that does him injustice. Since his early retirement for health reasons and his slim pension, he has been fighting with bailiffs. He sees the seizure of his GDR victim's pension as particularly unfair. And it is precisely at this point, in the midst of the e-mail hurricane that reaches the tax authority and ultimately the mayor's office, that the legal flames flare up.

Anger emails lead to judgment

The words “left-green-fascist mayor” ensure that Fassbinder hits back legally. “You report everything that you find offensive,” says the city leader, who was not unaffected by such aggressive messages. For him, it was less the swear words than the aggressive, continuous formulations that bothered him.

The court, under the leadership of Judge Konstantin Tränkmann, decided clearly against the pensioner. “Freedom of expression ends when you disparage other people,” explains Tränkmann and imposes a hefty fine of 1,050 euros. The pensioner could have accepted a punishment order, but he would rather emphasize his personal freedom - if necessary with a stay in prison.

Ralf R. is stubborn

“That would be tantamount to an admission of guilt, I won’t do that,” is how Ralf R. defines himself. Regardless of the verdict, he defends his emails as protected by freedom of expression and criticizes the loss of his trust in the rule of law. While Stefan Fassbinder has filed numerous reports, this case is the first time that a lawsuit has resulted from it. The mayor testifies to the stress caused by the regular insults, which are increasingly affecting everyday life.