A 67-year-old retired woman from Bavaria has been fined €800 for "insulting" a public official after carrying a sign featuring a caricature of Prime Minister Markus Söder.

The ruling was confirmed by the Schweinfurt District Court, which upheld the conviction for „insulting a public official.” The incident occurred in September 2023 during a protest against COVID-19 restrictions, where the woman held the sign for approximately 15 minutes.

The sign, created by her partner, depicted Söder alongside the phrase „Stoppt SöDDR,” referencing the former East German government. It also featured an image of a raised middle finger.

Initially, prosecutors sought a fine of €2,500 under Section 188 of the German Penal Code, which penalizes insults against public officials. However, the district court reduced the penalty to €800, prompting the woman to appeal.

The Schweinfurt District Court later reaffirmed the ruling, stating that the caricature constituted a „formal insult” and was therefore not protected by freedom of expression or artistic freedom.

In her defense, the woman argued that the image was a form of political critique rather than a personal attack. Her partner, the creator of the caricature, grew up in the former East Germany and stated that the reference to „DDR” was intended as a warning against government overreach during the pandemic.

Söder himself did not file a complaint and rejected the continuation of the case. The woman also attempted to summon the Prime Minister as a witness to determine whether the sign’s message had indeed influenced his work, but the Schweinfurt District Court denied this request.

The appellate court’s decision, which suggests that provocative political depictions may still be considered illegal insults, has raised concerns among free speech advocates regarding the boundaries of satire and critical expression towards public figures in Germany.

A 67-year-old retired Bavarian woman had a conviction confirmed for “insulting a public official”, by carrying a sign caricaturing the state’s Minister-President Markus Söder.https://t.co/PX679PMrzo

— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) March 31, 2026

Previously, it was reported that police in Heilbronn, southwestern Germany, launched an investigation into a retiree who referred to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz as „Pinocchio” in a Facebook comment.

The man had seen a post on the local police’s Facebook page informing visitors that Merz and Winfried Kretschmann, the Minister-President of Baden-Württemberg, would be attending an event in Heilbronn. He commented, „Pinocchio is coming to HN [Heilbronn],” followed by a long-nosed emoji.

Following this, the retiree received a letter from the criminal police informing him that an investigation had been initiated against him under Article 188 of the German Penal Code.