A Ghent court has sentenced the Flemish politician Dries Van Langenhove a one to prison already a fine of 16.000 euros for violating the laws on racism and denialism. In addition, he also receives a suspended sentence for violating the Weapons Law and his political rights are annulled for a period of 10 years.
It is one of the most forceful sentences, since punishments for apologizing for Nazism are usually minor. But it is also the most controversial, since the crimes were not committed in rallies, publications or even in public forums, but rather in private Facebook or Discord groups (750 and 164 members) and to a large extent jokes.
The ideology and sympathies of Van Langenhove, who is now accompanied by the euphemism of “agitator”, are no secret. He is part of Vlaams Belang, the far-right party that leads the polls, heir to the banned Vlaams Blok. The former deputy founded a group called Schild & Vrienden, Shield and Friends with all the symbols of far-right groups their paraphernalia or businesses such as gyms, sales of knives or sprays of pepper. The emblems, colors or taste for uniforms are standard.
The judges believe it has been proven that “attracted others to his racist speech and abused their fundamental rights and freedoms to deny them to others,” creating “a hostile atmosphere in society and causing discord, conflict and violence“The condemned man, they conclude, “he is in love with Nazi ideas and wanted to undermine democratic society and replace it with white supremacy.” Along with Van Langenhove, six other members have been convicted, two of them party workers, one in the Eurochamber. Vlaams Belang, far from repudiating, has defended its militants. “Justice in Belgium is rotten,” its leader, Tom Van Grieken, quickly wrote.
It all started in 2018 with a television report that uncovered a youth group in which fake screenshots, memes and racist or Holocaust denialist comments were exchanged. The process has concluded with the sentence, which is based on two laws on “the denial, minimization, justification or approval of the Nazi genocide” and the Moureaux Law. of 1981, which punishes acts inspired by racism and xenophobia.
The judges have considered that “they were guilty of inviting hatred and to apply discriminatory policies.” Jihad Van Puymbroeck, a person at the trial, was savagely harassed by the members of the group for being black, Muslim and getting a job in the Flemish media. The writer Dalilla Hermans needed an escort. But for Elon Musk or Joe Rogan, whose podcast millions of people listen to, is simply an attack on freedom of expression in the face of funny jokes.
The Nazis long ago stopped shaving their heads and They hide their speech in jokes, drawings, memes and green toads. They defend atrocities but, laughing, accuse the rest of having no sense of humor. They are a problem, a scourge, a threat. If what is said in private, or what we think, no matter how repugnant, is condemnable per seWe all have the problem. But this was something else, it is not a case of humor and freedom. but of hate, abuse, harassment and hunting.