A German court has ruled that a group of Islamists did not break the law when forming a ‘Sharia police force’ in 2014. The group caused public outrage after patrolling a western city in orange vests, instructing residents to abide by the strict Muslim code.

The group's vests had ‘Sharia Police’ printed on them in large block letters, but this did not breach the countrywide ban on political uniforms, the judges ruled. Under German law, a uniform has to be "suggestively militant" or have an "intimidating effect” to constitute a violation.

The judges specifically cited one eyewitness who believed the vests were themed costumes for a bachelor party. They went on to state that there was no proof to suggest that the men were wearing the vests to break the law intentionally.

The court also noted that police in Wuppertal did not find anything criminal about the men wearing the vests, which were not seized by officers at the time.

The ruling has not yet come into effect and can still be appealed by the state prosecutor.

Read more

The men, all aged between 25 and 34, sparked anger by patrolling the streets of Wuppertal in 2014, telling nightclub goers to refrain from drinking alcohol and listening to music, and arcade customers not to play games for money, so as not to contradict the strict Muslim religious code of conduct known as Sharia law.

The group was headed by Sven Lau, a controversial Salafist leader who is currently on trial for supporting a terrorist group fighting in Syria.

In a debate on RT, Maximilian Krah of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party said that the verdict showed that Germany’s courts are unprepared for the culture clash with its Muslim minority.

“The German society and the legal system have no weapons to protect the liberty of the citizens,” he said. “If the country decides that it wants to follow the liberal rules, then the state has the duty to enforce those liberties against the attempts of people in the other way. And this is not what happens in Germany."

“It’s very easy. If you come to Rome, live like the Romans,” he added.

But Remzi Aru of the German Democratic Alliance countered by pointing out the double standards towards Muslims when compared to other religious groups.

“I am against those things, but for everybody, not just Muslims,” he said.

“If you look at the rules and the laws the Jehovah's Witnesses tell you, it is very similar: you should not drink, you should not gamble, you should not drink alcohol, you should not do this, you should not do that. They are ringing your door and the people are not loving it, but they accept it so long as it's within the frame of law. There is freedom of religion in Europe, as long as these people do not harm you and don’t force you to do something.”

Wuppertal is one of Germany's most popular cities for Salafists, who follow a very conservative interpretation of Islam and reject any form of democracy.

The Monday ruling comes as Germany continues to struggle with the biggest refugee crisis since World War II, which resulted in more than 1 million mainly Muslim asylum seekers entering the country in 2015. Many residents across Germany have been vocal in opposing the arrival of the refugees, condemning Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door policy for those fleeing war and persecution.</s>Judges at Wuppertal's district court said on Monday that the seven accused members of the group did not break any laws while wearing orange vests bearing the words "shariah police."

According to the judges, one could have spoken of a violation only if the uniforms were "suggestively militant" or had had an "intimidating effect." Judges referred to an eye-witness saying that he thought the men wearing the vests were having a bachelor party. They also said that there was no proof to suggest that the men - all between 25 and 34 years of age - were wearing the vests intentionally to break the law.

Furthermore, judges said that police in Wuppertal also did not find anything punishable about the men wearing the vests, which were not seized by the officers. There was therefore no reason to punish the men.

The ruling has not yet come into effect and the state prosecutor can still appeal against it.

The "shariah police" caused a furore in 2014 when its members, headed by Salafist leader Sven Lau, patrolled streets near Wuppertal's central station, telling people to refrain from drinking alcohol, listening to music and gambling - in accordance with the Muslim religious code of conduct, known as the "Sharia."

Sven Lau is being tried for allegedly supporting the terror group "Jamwa" in Syria

Lau is a controversial Islamist preacher and is currently on trial for backing a terror group fighting in Syria. Similar "sharia police" groups have been reportedly operating in London, Copenhagen and Hamburg.

mg/kl (AFP, KNA)</s>A German court has ruled that a group of Islamists did not break the law in forming “sharia police” street patrols and telling people to stop drinking, gambling and listening to music.

The ultra-conservative Muslim group around the German Salafist convert Sven Lau sparked public outrage with their vigilante patrols in the western city of Wuppertal in 2014, but prosecutors have struggled to build a case against them.

The city’s district court ruled that the seven accused members of the group did not breach a ban on political uniforms when they approached people while wearing orange vests bearing the words “Sharia Police”.

Judges said there could only be a violation of the law – originally aimed against street movements such as the early Nazi party – if the uniforms were “suggestively militant or intimidating”, a court spokesman said.

In this case, they found that the vests were not threatening and noted that one witness said he thought the men were part of a bachelor party.

The same court had already thrown out the case last year, but was overruled on appeal by a higher court which agreed with prosecutors that the ban on uniforms could be applied in this case.

Monday’s verdict is not yet final and may still be appealed.

The “sharia police” members walked the streets of Wuppertal in September 2014, telling nightclub-goers to refrain from drinking alcohol and listening to music, and arcade customers not to play games for money.

Lau, the organiser, is one of Germany’s most controversial and best-known Islamist preachers. He is currently on trial in a separate case on charges of backing “a terrorist group” fighting in Syria.

So-called “sharia patrols” by sometimes violent radical young Salafists have also been seen in other European cities such as London, Copenhagen and Hamburg.</s>Islamic fundamentalists who patrol the streets of Germany acting as “Sharia police” and scolding people not to drink, gamble or listen to music aren’t doing anything illegal, a court ruled.

The ultra-conservative anti-party patrols have enraged Germans with antics eerily reminiscent of the Nazis.

According to The Local, the patrols were founded by German Salafist convert Sven Lau to enforce Islamic law in the city of Wuppertal.

The court ruled they did not breach a ban on political uniforms by wearing orange vests with the words “Sharia Police” on them.

One man wrote of the judges: “You have just allowed your nation’s laws to be superseded by ‘religious’ edicts. Will you be wearing a hijab instead of a robe now?”

Another wrote: “Words fail me. Now everyone can wear their own uniform and be ‘law’ enforcers on German streets. Hope someone will appeal this verdict and have it overturned.”

But the judges said it would only be a violation of the law if the uniforms were “suggestively militant or intimidating.”

Lau is one of Germany’s best-known Islamist preachers and is on trial for backing a terrorist group.

The patrols have also been reported in London, Copenhagen and Hamburg.
A German court acquits seven Islamists who formed a "Sharia police force" in the city of Wuppertal in 2014 after determining that they were not violating a law against "intimidating or militant uniforms".