00:00Klötz, a sleepy northern German village of 3,000 inhabitants,
00:05but also now the center of a row over abuse of political power and the freedom of expression.
00:12Around 500 people showed up to a rally this week called by PEN,
00:16a group promoting literary free speech.
00:20Among the speakers, the man whose treatment by local authorities sparked the row.
00:27Jewish publisher and author Michel Friedman.
00:31So what happened?
00:33It all began when Friedman was invited to address a literary event next year
00:38to mark the 120th birthday of the Jewish political theorist Hannah Arendt.
00:44Then, all of a sudden, Friedman got a call from the event's director, revoking his invitation.
00:51The director said the decision was down to the town's mayor,
00:55who feared disruption by right-wing agitators if Friedman attended.
01:01The first thing that crossed my mind was, why is it a politician, a mayor,
01:08getting involved in the programming of a cultural literary center?
01:12I thought those days were over.
01:19Klötz's mayor Jürgen Mevius contradicted the event director, instead citing local finances
01:25and saying Friedman's fee was too high.
01:29But across Germany and among the protesters here in Klötz,
01:33many feel that this invitation was not just a blunder, but an attack on democratic principles.
01:42This really is about a very central issue, namely the freedom of politicians to dictate to an art institution
01:49who they should invite or exclude.
01:52That's not acceptable. It's unconstitutional.
01:56Many in the crowd carried signs reading Klötz as cosmopolitan and for democracy, values they want the town to defend.
02:05Even after this event, I remain convinced that regardless of who is to blame, disinviting someone is completely unacceptable,
02:16that we really must stand up for freedom of expression.
02:21I'm here because I'm interested in democratic processes.
02:26Klötz's mayor has since stepped down, admitting that the whole affair had sent out mixed messages.
02:33For Michel Friedman himself, the message is clear.
02:38One always thinks that it is only the others who are affected.
02:42No, the moment civil liberties are restricted, everyone is affected.
02:47And it seems the debate on democracy and free speech in the town and across the country is unlikely to fizzle out soon.
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