World · Europe · 11 hrs ago
Criminal case against Hessian teacher over Gaza posts is dropped
A Hessian high-school teacher’s criminal case was dropped after prosecutors found insufficient grounds to pursue it over his social media posts about Israel’s war in Gaza.
The teacher, who teaches mathematics and computer science, had criticized Israel’s military actions and said Palestinians had a right to resist the occupation, including by force.
He also accused Germany’s federal government of supporting Israeli war crimes.
The posts were not found to constitute incitement to hatred, the criminal offence investigated by prosecutors.
The school authorities had suspended him from his teaching duties about a year ago over possible breaches of his obligations as a civil servant.
A separate disciplinary case is still continuing, because those rules can be stricter than criminal law.
The outcome of that process will determine whether he can return to teaching; the criminal case being dropped does not decide it.
The Mainz public prosecutor’s office has dropped criminal proceedings against a Hessian teacher over posts criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza.
The office said there was insufficient suspicion of a crime, and the posts did not meet the legal definition of incitement to hatred.
The teacher remains suspended while Hessian school authorities continue a separate disciplinary process.
The teacher’s posts included accusations that the German government supported Israeli war crimes and support for Palestinians’ right to resist occupation, including by force.
- Who
- A Hessian secondary-school mathematics and computer science teacher.
- What
- Criminal proceedings over his social media posts were dropped; a separate disciplinary process continues.
- When
- The decision was reported on October 26 and 27, 2026. The teacher has been suspended for about a year.
- Where
- Hesse, Germany; the criminal investigation was handled by the Mainz public prosecutor’s office.
- Why
- The prosecutor’s office said there was insufficient suspicion of a crime and the posts did not constitute incitement to hatred.
The teacher
Hessian school authorities
Aspect
The teacher
The teacher said he had not expressed unconstitutional positions and described his posts as criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Hessian school authorities
The authorities suspended him over possible breaches of civil-service duties and possible crimes, and continue a disciplinary process.
Aspect
The teacher
He said Palestinians had a right to resist occupation, including by force.
Hessian school authorities
The Darmstadt Administrative Court described posts he commented on as antisemitic and hostile to Israel, and said his comments could not be treated as purely private.
The teacher said he attended a solidarity event for Israeli victims after the Hamas attack on Israel.
The Darmstadt Administrative Court found the school authority’s ban on the teacher carrying out his duties justified pending a final resolution of the allegations.
A court spokesperson said the Hessian Administrative Court of Appeal was working toward a prompt decision on the case.
The Mainz public prosecutor’s office said it had dropped the criminal investigation for insufficient suspicion.
- Criminal investigation
- Dropped by the Mainz public prosecutor’s office
- Reason for closure
- Insufficient suspicion of a crime
- Teacher’s subjects
- Mathematics and computer science
- Suspension
- About one year
- Separate process
- Hessian school authorities continue a disciplinary proceeding
3 sources
What people are saying
I have not expressed any positions hostile to the constitution.
It is a question of conscience: Can I remain silent when I see injustice?