Nazi-salute tourists released after fines
Print Edition
TWO Chinese tourists who made Nazi salutes in Berlin have left Germany without further criminal punishment, the Chinese Embassy said yesterday. It urged tourists to respect history and learn the basic laws of their travel destinations.
The two tourists, men aged 36 and 49, were caught by Berlin officers on a routine patrol on Saturday, when they were taking pictures of each other and making Hitler-style gestures outside the historic Reichstag parliament complex in central Berlin.
Embassy official Zhou Anping said they had each been fined 500 euros (US$590) and released by police.
Zhou said the 500 euros was not bail and no further criminal punishment would be given.
Berlin police said they are not banned from visiting Germany again in the future.
Germany has strict laws on hate speeches and symbols linked to Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party.
It is not the first time that Chinese tourists have been caught making Nazi salutes. In 2013, a Chinese tourist was arrested in Austria for a similar offense.
Zhou urged Chinese tourists to respect the history and learn the laws of the countries they were visiting to avoid such problems in future.
The tourists were widely mocked and criticized on Chinese social networks.
Many online critics expressed outrage at the pair’s lack of basic knowledge of the history of World War II, Hitler and the Nazis.
“They deserved punishment!” was one comment on Weibo.
“Shame on them!” was another.
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