On January 14, 2026, David Bendels, editor-in-chief of the German newspaper Deutschland-Kurier, was acquitted by the Bamberg Regional Court after a politically explosive prosecution that triggered international outrage. Bendels had been targeted at the personal initiative of former German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser for publishing a satirical meme criticizing her hostility toward free speech. The earlier conviction—seven months in prison, suspended—was completely overturned. The German state will now pay all legal costs. “Clearly Satire – Clearly Protected Speech” Following the acquittal, Bendels left no doubt about the nature of the case: “The ‘Faeser meme’ published by Deutschland-Kurier, in its form, expression, and execution, is a clearly recognizable satire and a constitutionally protected form of pointed criticism of power and government.” The meme—reading “I hate freedom of speech”—was a direct critique of Faeser’s…
Click here to read the full article at The Gateway Pundit.
