CNN —A far-right German politician has gone on trial accused of using banned Nazi slogans at two rallies dating back to 2021. Björn Höcke, leader of the regional branch of Alternative for Germany party (AfD) in the eastern state of Thuringia, is accused of ending a May 2021 election event in Merseburg by shouting the Socialist Nationalist slogan, “Everything for our homeland, everything for Saxony-Anhalt, everything for Germany,” according to the regional court of Halle. Prosecutors allege that although he was aware the slogan is banned in Germany, and despite already facing criminal charges related to the first instance, Höcke went on to use it a second time at an AfD event in December 2023. In that incident he allegedly shouted to the crowd: “Everything for” and incited the audience to reply “Germany.”Prosecutors also claim Höcke was aware of the phrase’s origins as the slogan for the Nazi paramilitary wing. Höcke, a former history teacher, intends to run as the lead candidate for the AfD in the upcoming state elections in Thuringia in September.

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Persons: Björn Höcke, Höcke, ” Prosecutors, ”, Elon Musk, ” Hans, Christoph Berndt Organizations: CNN, Germany, Socialist Nationalist, Prosecutors, ”, Nazi Locations: Thuringia, Merseburg, Saxony, Anhalt, Germany, Halle, Brandenburg