German far-right group’s plan to display anti-Islam caricatures does not incite hatred, court rules

A Berlin court has rejected an emergency appeal by three mosques to prohibit a far-right group from displaying caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad at a demonstration this weekend.

The Berlin administrative court ruled Thursday the caricatures were protected by laws allowing artistic free expression and their display alone did not violate laws against slander nor those against inciting hate or violence.

Three mosques had filed the appeal after the far-right “Citizens Movement – Pro Germany” had said it would display the caricatures during its Aug. 18 demonstration in the capital, being held under the slogan “Islam does not belong in Germany – stop Islamization“.

Associated Press, 16 August 2012

Update:  See “Anti-Islam group targets mosques and leftists”, The Local, 17 August 2012

Update 2:  See “Spencer-Geller allied group, ‘Pro-Deutschland’ targets Muslims and leftists”, Loonwatch, 17 August 2012