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Hitler salute on Sylt: man pays fine and causes outrage
A man in a Sylt bar accepts a fine for making a Hitler salute; Incident sparks debate about racism and right-wing extremism.
Hitler salute on Sylt: man pays fine and causes outrage
A scandalous incident on Sylt causes excitement and debates about social attitudes towards racism in Germany. In the well-known “Pony” bar in Kampen on Pentecost 2024 there was a grotesque spectacle in which a man gave the Hitler salute and chanted xenophobic slogans along with other guests. These incidents were captured on video and quickly spread online, sparking nationwide outrage. Loud World At the end of April 2025, the man paid a fine of 2,500 euros to a non-profit organization in order to forestall a criminal order from the Flensburg public prosecutor's office.
The derailments in the “Pony” bar happened to the tune of the popular song “L’amour toujours” by DJ Gigi D’Agostino. This is not an isolated case: Loud ZDF There were similar incidents at several folk festivals where these racist slogans were repeated. Not only did the public react to the incidents with outrage, but politicians also see the need to take stronger action against right-wing extremism and racism.
Investigations and legal consequences
The police investigated a total of four people involved. In the case of three of them, including two men and a female student at a Hamburg technical college, the investigation was stopped because the slogans uttered were not considered incitement to hatred, as the highest court ruled. However, a fourth man who gave the Hitler salute received a penalty notice. In order to avoid a public trial, he immediately agreed to the amount of money, whereupon the prosecutors dropped the other proceedings.
The student herself received a two-month ban from her university. Exmatriculation was examined, but rejected as disproportionate. The incident not only caused discussion in the bar, but also beyond. The incidents have sparked a broad debate about racism and right-wing extremist attitudes in society, which have once again come to public attention due to terrible events such as the NSU murders and the attacks in Halle and Hanau. This problem has also been in the crosshairs of political measures since Angela Merkel's time in government.
Racism in Germany
In a comprehensive study, the German Center for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) has determined that racism is not a marginal phenomenon in Germany. People from various ethnic minorities report discrimination at shockingly high levels. Around 58% of members of these groups have personally experienced racism and the topic is becoming increasingly urgent in public and political discussion. Politics culture describes that almost 90% of the population consider racism to be a real problem and over 45% have already observed a racist incident.
The federal government's new initiatives, which are now shaped by recent events, aim to promote a sustained examination of the causes and consequences of racism. It seems urgent that society as a whole develops a good knack for not only meeting the challenges that racism and exclusion bring with them, but also actively combating them.