Outcry over politician’s tweet celebrating Munich policewoman getting shot

The policewoman was reportedly still in a “highly life-threatening” condition on Wednesday after a man resisting police officers on Tuesday took her colleague’s handgun and shot her in the head, injuring two others at the station as well.

SEE ALSO: Several injured after shooting at Munich area station

On the same day of the shooting, Potsdam Pirate Party politician Thomas Goede tweeted: “What a day as wonderful as today. Out with the filthy cops. I’m popping open the champagne,” using the hashtag ACAB – the acronym for “all cops are bastards”

The 29-year-old engineer has been running for a seat in the Bundestag (German parliament) in September’s election to represent his constituency in Brandenburg, according to the Potsdamer Neueste Nachrichten (PNN).

Goede ultimately deleted the tweet after criticism, according to PNN, but then afterwards wrote: “Many found the reaction to be shitty, but no one is contemplating why something like this occurred.” His account is also now set to private.

Other Twitter users were able to capture screenshots of the original tweet and responded with further condemnation, including the Berlin branch of police union DPolG.

“At least he deleted the tweet,” the union wrote. “However it is still unbelievably appalling to us, how could a person wish something like this against someone else?”

The union also called on its followers to report the politician’s Twitter account, saying that what he wrote was hate speech.

The deputy chair of the Pirate Party, Carsten Sawosch (using the Twitter name Jan Eisklar), also denouncing the tweet.

“I will make every effort to ensure that the Pirate Party will have one less member as soon as possible,” he wrote. “Fingers crossed for the policewoman.”

The Twitter account for the nationwide party leadership also condemned Goede’s tweet.

“To us it is totally abhorrent that someone would openly endorse the violence today in Munich,” the party wrote.

“We wish the young policewoman all the best.”

Es ist uns völlig zuwider das Menschen die heutige Gewalttat in München öffentlich gutheißen. Wir wünschen der jungen Polizistin alles Gute

– Vorstand Piraten-DE (@PiratenVorstand) June 13, 2017

In the early hours of Wednesday, the Brandenburg branch of the party published a statement distancing itself from what Goede wrote, as well as apologizing to the officer and her family.

“Police have an extremely important function in society, and as this case again tragically shows, this role is not without danger,” the party wrote. “At the very least, the police officers should be able to expect some respect for their service, which they perform for our safety amid peril.”

The party further wrote that Goede no longer planned to run in the Bundestag election, with the party saying that he was no longer a suitable candidate.

PNN reported that authorities are now investigating whether Goede committed a crime after three criminal complaints were filed.

Article source: https://www.thelocal.de/20170614/outcry-over-politicians-tweet-celebrating-munich-police-woman-getting-shot