Three-years sentence sought for German anti-lockdown leader

The founder of Germany’s Querdenken (Lateral Thinking) movement, which protested against Coronavirus lockdown measures, should receive a three-year prison sentence, the prosecution in his criminal fraud trial demanded on Tuesday.

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The defendant, Michael Ballweg, is attempting to portray himself as a martyr in the fight against an unjust state, the public prosecutor in the Stuttgart trial said.

“In reality, an ordinary defendant is standing trial,” the prosecutor said.

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In addition to the prison sentence, the prosecution is demanding the confiscation of more than half a million euros alleged funds that Ballweg raised for his movement but used for his own purposes.

Ballweg, 50, is accused of having deceived donors to the movement over how their money would be used; he is also accused of several tax offences.

In total, he collected more than 1 million euros (1.1 million dollars) from thousands of supporters through public appeals,the prosecutors said.

Ballweg is not charged with fraud, but only with attempted fraud, because some donors were apparently indifferent to what happened to the money, according to the prosecutor’s argument.

He denies the accusations.

The trial began in Stuttgart in February.

The regional court had suggested dismissing the case in March, saying its significance was minimal and that no intent could be proven on Ballweg’s part.

The public prosecutor, however, rejected the proposal.

Germany’s Lateral Thinking movement launched in Stuttgart during the Covid-19 pandemic but spread to many cities across the country.

Supporters repeatedly staged protests against lockdown measures, vaccine requirements and other aspects of the government response.

There were also incidents in which police officers and journalists were attacked.

(NAN)