AIBU to advise anyone who is ever rude to stay out of Germany?

[Zebrasarecooler]

I've just come across a German law which says that if you insult someone and they report you you'll be prosecuted. Punishment is up to one year in prison, or up to two years if you insulted the person in public or in a group setting. Or a fine.
In case people think that this only applies to really serious insults, here's some advice from a German law firm:

Examples of criminal insults:

VERBAL INSULTS:
Calling someone an ‘arsehole’, ‘idiot’, ‘slut’ or ‘scumbag’.
A member of the public calls a police officer on duty a ‘cop scum’.
An employee calls their line manager a ‘loser’ during a meeting.

GESTURES AND ACTIONS:
Giving the middle finger whilst driving.
Making an obscene gesture during an altercation.
Spitting at someone’s feet.

INSULTS ONLINE:
Defamatory comments on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Sharing defamatory memes or caricatures.
Insults in WhatsApp groups.

Oh.

.

I'll be there soon, noted. I suppose you'll need evidence 😏, like witnesses and a valid reason to pursue prosecution.

We have some odd rules, like you can't be drunk in a pub or shake your rug in public 😉 or carry planks of wood.

I quite like it - if it gives people pause for thought before they act, good. However, the question is does it get enforced?

So everyone walks around with their rage bottled up because they can’t even stick the finger up at someone who is being a twat? Fuck that!

Outside of discrimination etc why are people’s words being policed like that? I don’t want to live in a world that has shit like this going on.

You think that's bad, try Mauritius. They have laws protecting retail workers. Even rolling your eyes at a checkout assistant is an offence. Displaying any anger or frustration at a shop worker is illegal. There are signs in the shops detailing the list of things you cant do.

I think it's pretty normal not to do any of these things, so no problem.

I get laws about assaulting people of course but rolling your eyes? I am AuDHD and my face shows any negative emotions immediately and very obviously.

Defamation and spitting - fine.

Being illegal to call someone an arsehole or having a private chat about them on WhatsApp? Batshit.

I think it's terrible! Germany and Mauritius. It's not normal to force people not to show displeasure. Agree it's likely to provoke more repressed anger, which may break out later, and more grumbling behind people's backs.

If these laws are enforced, one obvious result would be people using language more creatively. You could end up with a goddamn thesaurus of prohibited words & phrases.

Are these standalone laws - merely saying/doing the thing is illegal - or are they more like our 'hate speech' laws, which are only supposed to kick in if you assault the person?

I don't have a neuro diagnosis, but I do have an expressive face! I like to call it a great face for comedy but, hell, I don't fancy being arrested for looking at someone wrongly.

Actually, that's another obvious complication, isn't it. "Are you looking at me?" and "Fred says you're thick" occur often enough in non-legislated life. Imagine the joy for people who like to stir trouble, if they can report it to the police and be taken seriously 😳

Germans are very rule conscious, which makes it a nice place to live as people are very respectful of public space and communal norms.

i used to spend quite a lot of time there. I once got absolutely bollocked by a random woman for jay walking in my devil-may-care British way.

i had never heard of this law though.

I like an expressive face, and I've been told that my own one is like an open book - I'd be terrible under interrogation or playing poker. And I'm going to Germany in the autumn. Can someone set up a red cross parcel thing for me in prison, please 🙂

I suppose Germany would appreciate it if you could keep the rude people away from them..Sounds like a good idea

In Mauritius the signs are clear. It's the act of doing the thing. Eye rolling or being verbally abusive. They take it seriously too.

“Are these standalone laws - merely saying/doing the thing is illegal - or are they more like our 'hate speech' laws, which are only supposed to kick in if you assault the person?”

Thats not how hate speech laws work in UK? You don’t have to assault anyone to be reported, lots of the reports anre about online comments.

I visit my oldest friend in Germany frequently, have called her all sorts on occasion and have yet to be arrested for it. HTH.

Pathetic

Yeah, but the comment itself isn't a crime. I think there is some prohibited speech in the UK - incitement to violence is a crime, and some terrorism-related rhetoric. But when a whiny prat reports you for a strongly-worded tweet, the police might make a 'non-crime report'. This would be referenced if you went on to harass your target or threaten them with violence.

I haven't double-checked this, it's mostly retained knowledge from when my friends were being endlessly reported by trans activists.

I think it sounds like a pretty good idea. Too many people in some places seem to have lost their manners.

So bad manners should be a criminal offence? No thanks.

I'm Scottish. Insults are a term of endearment here... 😬😆

I was born in Germany and lived there until I was 7. I'd be absolutely fucked if I ever returned, apparently 😂

I’ve spent a lot of time in Germany.

The culture is respectful & polite. It is a lovely place. Even in the beer festivals when people are drunk they behave better than in the UK

I’m not aware of these laws. There’s certainly no heavy handed policing.

As PPs have said most countries have laws that might seem odd but the test is their application. Are German jails full of people who just moaned a bit once?