a 62-year-old man sentenced to 18 months in prison for inciting racial hatred and advocating terrorism

“It’s an exemplary decision,” according to a lawyer for the civil parties. A 62-year-old man was sentenced, Friday, November 17, to 18 months in prison with a committal warrant for having written several anti-Semitic tags in Strasbourg (Bas-Rhin). The man, who was on trial for inciting racial hatred and advocating terrorism, was also sentenced to a fine of 1,500 euros and five years of socio-judicial supervision, said the lawyer for the civil parties, Raphaël. Nisand, confirming information from the regional daily The Latest News from Alsace (DNA).

This decision sanctions “hate messages”, added Raphaël Nisand, who defended the Compagnie des transports strasbourgeois (CTS), because tags were notably affixed to tram trains. Licra, SOS Racisme and the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (Crif) were also civil parties in this case.

“It was always the same handwriting”

In addition to the tram, street furniture, a supermarket parking lot and even a pharmacy had been tagged, particularly in the popular district of Hautepierre, events occurring between October 13 and November 14, according to the DNA. “It was always the same handwriting”the same spelling mistakes and “the same things that were repeated: ‘death to the Jews’, ‘USA Israel = Nazis'”, explained Raphaël Nisand. Video surveillance cameras also made it possible to confuse him, according to the lawyer.

This retiree had several mentions in his record for acts of violence, according to the DNA. “The president (of the court) said he had a ‘very worrying’ profile”, said Raphaël Nisand. At the hearing, he assured that he had not “no problem with the Jews” but be “against those who kill children”, according to DNA. “I couldn’t formulate my thoughts well. It was just to inform people. I regret it”he further explained to the court, according to the newspaper.