German campaign trademarks neo-Nazi symbols to cut off funding

A German campaign is strategically using trademark law to undermine the financial support for neo-Nazi groups. The initiative, known as 'Rights Against the Right,' aims to seize control of symbols and codes used by extremist organizations, thereby preventing their commercial exploitation.

Laut gegen Nazis e.V., a key player in this campaign, has successfully secured trademark rights to the neo-Nazi code 'ESSESS.' This code has been used on merchandise to spread National Socialist ideology while often evading criminal prosecution, serving as a significant income source for far-right groups. By obtaining the trademark, Laut gegen Nazis e.V. can legally prohibit others from using 'ESSESS' and is required to use the code itself, which it does through its online shop, druck18.com.

This action follows a previous success where the organization trademarked the 'Druck18' online shop, operated by Tommy Frenck, a prominent figure in the Thuringian neo-Nazi scene. A court upheld the legality of this approach, and Laut gegen Nazis e.V. subsequently offered the trademark to German interior ministries. The strategy involves reinterpreting and redesigning these formerly extremist codes into symbols that oppose right-wing extremism, turning merchandise into a tool against hate ideology and defusing the meaning of Nazi symbols.