German police cracks down on online hate speech
The German police has carried out an operation in against 60 individuals who are suspected of spreading hatred on the Internet. Raiding the suspects’ homes, the police seized laptops, smartphones and hard drives. One of the main targets was a Facebook group whose members supported Nazism. According to Thomas de Maiziere, Germany’s Interior Minister, ‘Violent language is unacceptable and lays the groundwork for real violence.’ The raids demonstrate Germany’s determination to track down Internet users who spread messages ‘that violate the country’s legally established limits on free speech.’
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