The court ruling against employees of the Karlsruhe fan project is unsatisfactory. Politicians must act on the issue of the right to refuse testimony.
I In November 2022, during a large pyro show in Karlsruhe, 11 people were injured. In the ensuing trial, the social workers of the fan project refused to testify against their own clients, because they would break the trust and thus the foundation of their work. They were charged with obstruction of justice, and during their trial coercive detention was even on the table. In the end there was a fine, and the social workers appealed.
Last Thursday there was a settlement. The three social workers must pay fines ranging from 1,500 to 3,150 euros, but emphasize that this is not an admission of guilt. The ruling is not a major relief for fan projects and their clients, because the concern about private liability and not being able to confide remains.
The judge said that this case could send a signal to politics. For now, the question of the right to refuse testimony for social work should be settled not on a legal but a political level. Trust is especially important for outreach social work. There is hardly any other point of contact that can help people out of hardship so effectively. Trust as a foundation makes it possible for life paths to turn for the better at sensitive points. Also because social workers can sometimes overlook a foolish act—of course based on experience and professional assessment.
Fanproject work is successful
Moreover, outreach social work is characterized by providing comprehensive support to people. The help does not stop at finding employment, addressing debt, or tackling addiction issues. The work of fan projects in Germany is well evaluated, and there is practically no doubt about their success. Right-wing extremism and racism in football have also decreased thanks to their efforts.
If trust in fan projects is undermined and they are perceived not as preventive but as policing-like authorities, they are deprived of their decisive impact. For they manage to facilitate mediation between different institutions and minimize unnecessary escalations.
If social workers do not have a right to refuse to testify, clients must fear and will not confide in them. It is unacceptable for employees of fan projects like the Karlsruhe one to take such a personal risk.
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