- BERLIN (AP) -- A man who
trained his German shepherd to raise a paw in imitation of the Nazi salute
won't be prosecuted for the unusual trick, although he faces other charges,
including allegedly shouting "Heil Hitler!" just before the dog's
feat, judicial authorities said Wednesday.
-
- Displaying Nazi symbols in public is a crime in Germany.
-
- Police stopped the 54-year-old man, identified only as
Roland T., in March after he was heard shouting the Nazi slogan.
-
- As the officers watched, he called a command -- "Do
the salute" -- to his dog, named Adolf, and the German shepherd mongrel
raised its right paw, the Bild newspaper reported.
-
- Since the man faces trial Thursday on several similar
violations that are more serious, the Berlin court dropped charges relating
to his training of the dog, said Bjoern Retzlaff, a judicial spokesman.
-
- The man also was stopped by police at another time this
year for shouting "Heil Hitler" on a busy street and for walking
around in a Hitler T-shirt, Bild said.
-
- He faces up to three years in prison under postwar laws
meant to prevent any recurrence of Nazism.
-
- © 2003 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
|