German comedian Sebastian Hotz will be on trial in Germany for an article in X, in which he approved the assassination attempt on Donald Trump in 2024, the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported.
According to the newspaper, the trial against Hotz is scheduled to begin on July 23 at the Tiergarten District Court. Only one court hearing is expected. The Berlin prosecutor's office is accusing the comedian of encouraging and approving a crime. Hotz himself refused to comment on the trial, “especially before the final verdict“, notes the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
On July 14, 2024, the newspaper Bild reported that comedian Hotz had written in X in connection with the attack on Trump: “I find it absolutely fantastic when fascists die.“ His publication immediately caused outrage among social media users. As a result, the comedian deleted the publication.
The assassination attempt on Trump took place on July 13, 2024, at an election rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed Trump's ear, without his life being in danger. One of his supporters was killed in the shooting. The attacker, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was also killed.