It’s finally over. The Hanfbar CBD saga has ended. The two young founders of Hanfbar can live in peace, no more violent harassment from the German State after six long years.

Constant police raids, handcuffs and imprisonment, bank accounts closed, money confiscated and constant business disruptions – have finished. The raids are over but the dream has gone. The cafe was sold.

PROSECUTION OF THE CBD STARTUP HANFBAR TOO INSIGNIFICANT TO PROCEED

According to the newspaper article NWR.de the German state has confirmed further prosecution of the Hanfbar founders would stop – the case is too insignificant to proceed, If it’s too insignificant to proceed – why begin prosecuting in the first place? An answer to this question would be helpful.

The court has decided the prosecution of Hanfbar will be dropped after six long years. Was it a mistake to begin prosecuting the small business?

PROSECUTIONS ARE TO STOP BUT IS THIS ENOUGH?

The Hanfbar founders gave up everything, simply to have their life back. They didn’t ask for their money back €32, 000, no goods returned, and no apology made- for a prosecution which the courts said was too insignificant to continue.

Is this a sensible outcome? The vast wealth of the German State used to prosecute and harass two young men for six years, but the vast wealth of the German State not used to rebuild the lives of these two young men – it destroyed? Millions of Euroes in taxpayers money wasted to prosecute a case which was insignificant – perhaps the Braunschweig prosecutors office can spare a little money to fix the mess it created?

It would make sense if the Braunschweig treasury used some generosity and empathy to also fix the lives of the Hanfbar founders which it destroyed – not just pay court costs.

IS GERMANY THE BEST LOCATION FOR A STARTUP BUSINESS

It’s an unusual message the last six years sends out to the world. Germany enthusiastically encourages all businesses which are innovative and experimental to choose Germany as a start up location. Germany is progressive, forward thinking and moving away from its ultra conservative roots… this is the picture German paints of itself – to encourage foreigners here. Berlin has playfully been dubbed the ‘startup capital of Europe’. But is this picture true?

We’ve seen exactly what’s happened in Germany to a startup which is innovative – Hanfbar. Unfortunately this business was too innovative for Braunschweig police prosecutors who systematically decided to crush it – and according to the courts – crushed it unnecessarily. Hanfbar is still trading in Braunschweig – the police allow it – but unfortunately with new owners.

Which new business ventures will be safe in Germany and which won’t? Can anyone be sure? Opening a business which is legal in other EU countries and legal under EU law doesn’t mean it will be legal in Germany. Hanfabar and Bunte Blüte show this. Business start ups might be safer in other European countries which have clear and stable laws and where negotiation and diplomacy are used before the police.

NDR.de

As of: August 30, 2023 7:36 p.m

(Google translate from German to English )

Regional Court Finally Discontinues Hanfbar Case

Around six years after the “Hemp Bar” opened in Braunschweig, the legal processing of the case has finally been completed. The regional court finally stopped the process on Wednesday.

According to information from NDR Lower Saxony, the proceedings were discontinued shortly after the start of the trial day at the Braunschweig Regional Court due to insignificance – so it ended without a verdict. In return, the two defendants are said to have refrained from demanding back around 33,000 euros in cash as well as hemp flower teas worth several thousand euros. Money and goods were seized in several raids . In addition, there should be no compensation for the two accused for the five-week pre-trial detention period. It was said that the termination of the process was final. The costs of the procedure are borne by the state treasury.

https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Landgericht-stellt-Hanfbar-Prozess-endgueltig-ein,hanfbar150.html

• case discontinued due to insignificance
• no verdict given
• no return of monies confiscated by police €33,000
• no return of goods confiscated by police
• no compensation for prision time ( 5 weeks)
• procedural costs borne by the state

German version:

Landgericht stellt “Hanfbar”-Prozess endgültig ein

Stand: 30.08.2023 19:36 Uhr

Rund sechs Jahre nach Eröffnung der “Hanfbar” in Braunschweig ist die juristische Aufarbeitung des Falles endgültig abgeschlossen. Das Landgericht stellte den Prozess am Mittwoch endgültig ein.

https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Landgericht-stellt-Hanfbar-Prozess-endgueltig-ein,hanfbar150.html

Das Verfahren wurde nach Informationen von NDR Niedersachsen bereits kurz nach Beginn des Prozesstages vor dem Landgericht Braunschweig wegen Geringfügigkeit eingestellt – endete also ohne Urteil. Im Gegenzug sollen die beiden Angeklagten darauf verzichtet haben, rund 33.000 Euro Bargeld sowie Hanfblütentees im Wert von mehreren Tausend Euro zurückzufordern. Geld und Waren waren bei mehreren Razzien sichergestellt worden. Außerdem soll es für die beiden Beschuldigten keine Entschädigung für die Zeit der fünfwöchigen Untersuchungshaft geben. Die Prozesseinstellung sei endgültig, hieß es. Die Kosten des Verfahrens trägt die Staatskasse.

https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Landgericht-stellt-Hanfbar-Prozess-endgueltig-ein,hanfbar150.html

footnotes

• https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/braunschweig_harz_goettingen/Erneute-Razzia-in-Braunschweigs-Hanfbar,hanfbar138.html
• https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/niedersachsen/Landgericht-stellt-Hanfbar-Prozess-endgueltig-ein,hanfbar150.html