The firebrand regional leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the German state of Thuringia, Björn Höcke, has been convicted and fined again for using a banned Nazi slogan.

Höcke, 52, was convicted of leading a crowd in a chant of the outlawed motto of the Nazi SA stromtroopers – “Alles für Deutschland” (Everything for Germany) – during a speech at a party event.

Höcke said the first two words and then allegedly gestured to the crowd to complete the slogan. At the time, he was under criminal indictment for having used the same banned slogan during a separate speech.

In May, Höcke was convicted in that earlier case and sentenced to a fine. He is currently appealing the verdict.

The court in Halle on Tuesday sentenced Höcke to a fine totalling €16,900 ($18,150).

Höcke is the lead candidate for the AfD in upcoming state parliamentary elections in Thuringia, where the party holds a clear lead in opinion polls.