Berlin denounces US sanctions against German anti-hate speech group

The German government on Wednesday denounced sanctions imposed by the United States against the heads of HateAid, a German organization that supports victims of online hate.

The Trump administration on Tuesday imposed entry bans on HateAid's managing directors, Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, and three other Europeans, accusing them of censorship of US-based online platforms.

HateAid, founded in 2018, is regarded as Germany's first nationwide counselling centre for people affected by online abuse. Von Hodenberg was awarded Germany's Federal Order of Merit in October in recognition of her work against digital violence.

"HateAid supports victims of unlawful digital hate speech. The organization makes an important contribution to ensuring that personal rights are protected in the digital sphere," German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said.

"Anyone who calls this censorship is misrepresenting our constitutional system," she added.

Hubig stressed that HateAid supports victims but cannot itself ban expressions of opinion.

"The rules by which we want to live in the digital sphere in Germany and Europe are not decided in Washington," Hubig said.

In a jab at big US tech firms, she added that the measures taken by Washington "show that civil society engagement is inconvenient for powerful platforms."

The managing directors of HateAid "have our support and solidarity," she said.

Ballon and von Hodenberg called the US decision an "act of repression."