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Linking Germany’s limits against hate speech to US troops stationed there, Vice President JD Vance has lambasted Berlin’s free speech laws, the Associated Press reported.
Addressing activists at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington, Vance reportedly said, “There are thousands upon thousands of American troops in Germany today. Do you think that the American taxpayer is going to stand for that if you get thrown in jail in Germany for posting a mean tweet? Of course they’re not.”
Notably, laws in the European nation are formulated to impose some restrictions on free speech in an effort to curb extremism and incitement. Consequently, the move has resulted in local authorities policing the internet for hate speech and arresting people for allegedly posting and reposting such comments.
There are around 84,000 American service members in the European Theater, the report stated, citing the US Department of Defense.
The fluctuating figure, however, has increased since the Russia-Ukraine war began in February 2022.
Earlier this month, Vance had lectured European leaders about the state of democracy and free speech across the continent, during an address at the Munich Security Conference, which was met with rebukes from several European leaders, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.
“Obviously we are going to continue to have important alliances with Europe,” AP quoted Vance as saying. “But I really do think the strength of those alliances is going to depend on whether we take our societies in the right direction,” the US Vice President had reportedly said.
Germany’s entire defense is subsidised by taxpayers in the US, Vance claimed.
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