Coordinated raids by European police launched against online hate speech

COORDINATED raids in seven countries have been launched by European police against online hate speech.

According to the European Union, law enforcement agency Europol and German prosecutors have carried out raids on Tuesday, November 3 as part of a clampdown on online hatred and incitement to violence.

83 apartments and other buildings were raided in Germany, where police searched and seize evidence like smartphones and laptops, whilst 96 suspects are being questioned about hateful posts they made online.

Offenses include making anti-Semitic comments and insulting female politicians online, according to prosecutors in the German region of Rheinland Palatinate.

After a law came into force in Germany in 2018, demands for social networks to delete or block obviously criminal content within 24 hours of receiving a complaint are now met with a hefty fine if they fail to comply.

These latest raids come as part of an annual drive initiated by German prosecutors and under the coordination of Europol, were joined this year for the first time by Italy, France, Greece, Norway, Britain and the Czech Republic.

A Europol spokesman confirmed these raids focused on online posts that promote racism and xenophobia.


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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