Germany Is Moving Aggressively To Criminalize Hate Speech Against Athletes

The German Central Office for Combating Cybercrime, in cooperation with the German Football Association, has initiated 45 investigations so far into online hate speech. Athletes are exposed to frequent online harassment, especially during major events such as the European Football Championships or the Olympic Games. Benjamin Krause from the German Central Office for Combating Cybercrime confirmed that 15 suspects had been identified with certainty. The German Football Association, the German Olympic Sports Association, and the German Football League are looking forward to providing information on the legal procedures that are supposed to be followed regarding cybercrimes against players in the Euro 2024 tournament and the Olympics. The three parties announced earlier that they would resort to criminal prosecution to protect athletes from online attacks. Hate speech is not a uniformly defined term in German law, and legal enforcement agencies such as the Central Office for Combating Cybercrime interpret it as an online hate crime. This interpretation includes posts on social media sites, websites, text messages, and photos via phone, email, or chat targeting individuals or groups. There is also no specific text in German criminal law, according to the Federal Ministry of Justice, that criminalizes so-called hate speech, but there are a number of standards that confront this phenomenon and criminalize such behaviors. These crimes include insulting, inciting hatred, supporting and encouraging criminal offences, and threatening public peace by threatening to commit criminal offences.