German man loses appeal on ‘anti-Zionist’ chants

(JTA) — An anti-Semitic agitator has lost his appeal in a German court on his conviction for incitement to hate.

An appeals court in the Essen District has upheld January’s verdict in the groundbreaking case against Taylan Can, who unsuccessfully argued that his chants at an anti-Israel demonstration last summer were purely political.

In January, Judge Gauri Sastry had stated that calling for “death and hate to Zionists” was tantamount to anti-Semitism. She sentenced Can to three months of probation and a fine of about $200.

The appeals court has affirmed her verdict and extended the probation period to 10 months.

The May 22 decision “is an absolute milestone in an otherwise very upsetting setting,” commented Sacha Stawski, founder and president of the German pro-Israel media watchdog Honestly Concerned.

http://www.jta.org/2015/05/27/news-opinion/world/german-man-loses-appeal-on-anti-zionist-chants