The German politician Björn Höcke, leader of the far-right AFD in the state of Thüringen, is being prosecuted again for using Nazi-era slogans.
As recently as May, Höcke, who is running for prime minister in Thüringen in September, was fined €13,000 – equivalent to around 150 000 kronor – for chanting the old Nazi phrase "All for Germany" during an election rally in 2021.
A new trial is now underway in the city of Halle in eastern Germany, where Höcke is accused of using the same phrase during a party meeting in December last year.
The 52-year-old Höcke, a former history teacher who is now one of the most well-known and extreme representatives of the far-right party, denies the allegations and claims he was not aware that the phrase was used by Hitler's SA forces.
At the party meeting in Gera, Höcke allegedly encouraged the audience to shout out the slogan, which in itself is not banned but can be punishable depending on the context under German law.
If Höcke is convicted, he risks being fined or imprisoned for up to three years.
