Two Chinese tourists have been arrested in Berlin for gesturing Nazi salutes.
The two men, aged 36 and 49 had made Heil Hitler gestures in front of the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building. The pair were arrested but released after posting bail of $600.
Hate speech and symbols are forbidden in Germany. The Heil Hitler salute was a gesture used by the Nazi regime to generate support.
Following the end of World War II, the Nazi party was banned in Germany.
The pair of Chinese tourists were charged under Germany’s criminal code that prohibits the “use of symbols of unconstitutional organizations,” including “flags, insignia, uniforms, slogans and forms of greeting.”
Violation of the law is punishable by fine or up to three years incarceration. However, although German citizens are fully aware of the the law forbidding Nazi gestures, it is less clear that foreign tourists are aware.
The New York Times reports that Germany has seen a rise in Chinese tourists in recent years. 2 million Chinese visitors come to Germany every year.
