Dries Van Langenhove gives a long exhibition in court: « I do not agree with anything without having told my story »
« I have not created the Discord group. The public prosecutor has been claiming that for years, but that is not true. » That is what Dries van Langenhove said on Tuesday evening for the Ghent Court of Appeal, which patiently listens to an exposé that has been going on for more than an hour.
The investigation started in September 2018 after the Pano-RePortage, which showed that in secret chat groups of Schild & Vrienden, racist and anti -Semitic messages were shared. Van Langenhove gave extensive explanation about Schild & Vrienden and about what he regards as his « activism ». « There was nothing in our mission statement about hatred or violence. Racism in all its forms we resolutely reject. The essence of Schild & Vrienden was to do self -development to become a better version of yourself. We wanted to get the youth out of their seat. »
Van Langenhove opposes the image that the Public Prosecution Service painted of him. « I have not created the Discord group. The public prosecutor has been claiming that for years, but that is not true. I was looking for someone who was a gamer and knew something from Discord. The report of our meeting clearly shows that I was not that person. »
© Carlo Coppejans
The chairman asked Van Langenhove around 9.30 pm to complete. « You can say something until 10 pm. You will have to shorten. » Van Langenhove: « I don’t want to accept that. » His lawyer Hans Rieder tried: « I don’t see what the problem is to continue on Thursday. » The Court of Appeal asked Van Langenhove, who wants the acquittal, whether he asks something in subordinate order, such as a work sentence or a suspension. « I do not agree with nothing without having done my story, » replied the defendant.
The defense wanted to note that he only gets until 22 hours, and Rieder announced that he wants to link consequences.
Read too. Case for Schild & Vrienden also stays with the same judges in the Court of Appeal
Van Langenhove had announced that he wanted to refute « at least 21 statements » about him, but around 10 pm he repeated the same incident with the Public Prosecution Service several times. The Court gave him some extra time until 10.20 pm, but then the chairman decided it was enough. « We are taking the case and suggesting them on 16 May, » the chairman reported.
© Carlo Coppejans
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