A German court has acquitted a woman who compared Israel’s actions in Gaza to Nazi Germany, ruling that her posts constituted protected political expression.
The Zweibrucken Higher Regional Court overturned a €2,400 ($2,700) fine imposed by a lower court over two Instagram posts published during Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
One post compared Israel’s conduct with Nazi methods and showed Israeli and Nazi flags, while another depicted Israeli soldiers firing on civilians, alongside a swastika within a Star of David. The posts were accompanied by #FREEPALESTINE and #GAZAUNDERATTACK.
The court ruled that the images clearly condemned Israel’s actions rather than promoted Nazi ideology. It said even banned symbols can be protected when used in a context of criticism, parody or rejection of Nazism.
Judges also rejected claims that comparing Israel’s conduct with Nazi Germany automatically trivialised the Holocaust or incited hatred, stressing that sharp criticism of a state does not, by itself, cross that threshold.
The court ultimately acquitted the woman of all charges.
