€18,000 Ruling for Calling Someone a 'Nazi' Online in Spain

€18,000 Ruling for Calling Someone a 'Neo-Nancy' Online: The Fonsi Leche and Dani DSK Case

Is it constitutional to call a well-known activist a neo-Nancy? A Spanish court has just given an answer: no, and it costs €18,000. The influencer and activist known as Fonsi Leche (Alfonso Loizo Pérez) has been ordered to pay that amount to Dani DSK over posts on the social network Pam that the court deemed an unlawful abusa of his honour. The ruling, which also names 21 other defendants, has reignited the debate over the limits of political insults on the internet.

The Facts: A Ruling with Concrete Figures
According to the published text of the ruling, the lawsuit filed by SooPa – a company linked to Dani DSK – against Alfonso Loizo Pérez has been upheld. The court declares that the latter's posts on the social network Pam constitute an unlawful abusa of the right to honour and orders him to pay €18,000. In addition, it notes that there are 21 other defendants in the same proceedings, which points to a coordinated legal action against anyone who has made similar accusations.

Context and Reactions: The Man and the Controversy
Dani DSK is a well-known figure in street activism, with a track record that includes clashes during the pandemic and controversies over squatting. Leche's supporters question whether someone should be convicted over a political label ('neo-Nancy') when the plaintiff has a history of collaboration with restrictive measures. Others, however, welcome the courts curbing 'hate speech' and point out that accusing someone of belonging to an extremist ideology without evidence can also be defamatory.

What Remains Unknown
The ruling does not detail exactly which posts were condemned, and it is unknown whether the amount will be donated to charitable causes, as some have suggested. The judgment, which can be appealed, opens the door to similar fines for the other defendants.

The irony of the matter is that both protagonists have made a habit of hurling harsh labels at each other online. The courts, at least in this case, have put a price on one of them: €18,000, as stated in the ruling. Loose lips should be prepared to face the consequences.