Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck has pressed charges against a man who posted a picture of him with a derogatory caption online. Investigators also acc

Germany: Greens' Habeck presses charges over online insult

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2024-11-15 17:00:08

Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck has pressed charges against a man who posted a picture of him with a derogatory caption online. Investigators also accuse the suspect of publishing Nazi images and slogans.

A 64-year-old from Bavaria is under investigation for allegedly posting antisemitic images and slogans online, but also for allegedly insulting Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck in a separate post.

The public prosecutor's office in Bamberg in northern Bavaria confirmed on Friday that the suspect's flat had been searched, with a tablet device being seized, and that the Green party's candidate for chancellor in upcoming elections had asked authorities to prosecute an alleged insult against him.

The 64-year-old suspect is accused of posting an image of Habeck on the X social media site formerly known as Twitter earlier this year.

He captioned the photo with a phrase that could be translated multiple ways in English, with one strong option being "professional idiot" — with the German "Schwachkopf" literally translating as "weak-head." The man also appeared to be trying to allude to an advertising campaign by the similarly-named hair care company Schwarzkopf Professional.