The vote in the Bundestag (parliament) on Thursday makes defiling foreign flags equal to the crime of defiling the German flag.
Germany has made public burning of the EU flag or that of another country punishable by up to three years in jail, classing it as a hate crime.
The same applies for the EU anthem, Beethoven's Ode to Joy theme.

The move followed Social Democrat (SPD) complaints about protesters' burning of the Israeli flag in Berlin in 2017.

Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht, a member of the centre-left SPD, said "burning flags publicly has nothing to do with peaceful protests". She said it stoked up "hatred, anger and aggression", and hurt many people's feelings.

The new law also applies to acts of defilement besides burning, such as publicly ripping a flag up. Public display of the Nazi swastika and other Nazi symbols is already banned in Germany.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52674809

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has condemned the new law as "excessive interference in free speech and artistic expression".

The act of defiling the Union Flag in the UK is not a crime, but France has made desecration of the tricolour punishable by a fine of up to €7,500 (£6,600; $8,000) or six months in jail.

Spain, Italy and Greece also have laws banning desecration of the national flag.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52674809

We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

I think lots of us take our freedom of speech for granted.

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

Multiple countries over there have some flaws regarding freedom of speech.

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

(05-18-2020 10:00 AM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

Pretty sure freedom of speech isn't high on the priority list for those US leftist.

(05-18-2020 10:06 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:00 AM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

Pretty sure freedom of speech isn't high on the priority list for those US leftist.

Those with dictatorial tendencies don't like decent. Honestly I'm surprised the CCP hasn't rolled the tanks into Hong Kong yet and silenced critics ala Tienanmen Square. Guess they don't want to damage that money making machine just yet.

(05-18-2020 10:20 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:06 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:00 AM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

Pretty sure freedom of speech isn't high on the priority list for those US leftist.

Those with dictatorial tendencies don't like decent. Honestly I'm surprised the CCP hasn't rolled the tanks into Hong Kong yet and silenced critics ala Tienanmen Square. Guess they don't want to damage that money making machine just yet.

CCP goons are pulling lawmakers out of their version of Congress so the vote goes how they want it in Hong Kong.

(05-18-2020 10:41 AM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:20 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:06 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:00 AM)umbluegray Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 09:47 AM)bullet Wrote:  We used to have such laws. They got overturned by the courts.

Europe is not nearly as free as we are.

But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

Pretty sure freedom of speech isn't high on the priority list for those US leftist.

Those with dictatorial tendencies don't like decent. Honestly I'm surprised the CCP hasn't rolled the tanks into Hong Kong yet and silenced critics ala Tienanmen Square. Guess they don't want to damage that money making machine just yet.

CCP goons are pulling lawmakers out of their version of Congress so the vote goes how they want it in Hong Kong.

IMO, China will lower the boom Tiananmen Square style whenever that 50 years is up. As of now, it is merely telling the "Special Administrative Region" HK puppet govt what to do to bide its time.

(05-18-2020 11:01 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:41 AM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:20 AM)49RFootballNow Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:06 AM)VA49er Wrote:  

(05-18-2020 10:00 AM)umbluegray Wrote:  But so many U.S. leftists want us to mirror Europe in various ways.

I wonder if they'll add this type of punishment for burning our flag to their list.

Pretty sure freedom of speech isn't high on the priority list for those US leftist.

Those with dictatorial tendencies don't like decent. Honestly I'm surprised the CCP hasn't rolled the tanks into Hong Kong yet and silenced critics ala Tienanmen Square. Guess they don't want to damage that money making machine just yet.

CCP goons are pulling lawmakers out of their version of Congress so the vote goes how they want it in Hong Kong.

IMO, China will lower the boom Tiananmen Square style whenever that 50 years is up. As of now, it is merely telling the "Special Administrative Region" HK puppet govt what to do to bide its time.

So long as a good portion of the world's trade and money continue to flow through HK the CCP will do only things that can't be seen as super oppressive by the world media. They did learn the lesson of Tienanmen Square in the PR department. They don't want that money moving to more stable regional environments outside the so-called PRC. Here's hoping that their people finally get tired of it all, and not just the students.