It's a fact, I'm afraid. Disclaimer: I don't even like the guy, he makes money off conspiracy theories about Jewish people. But it's a fact that he got sentenced to prison for saying a journalist is a fat lesbian.

Normally in European countries, an insult, slander or libel would render a fine only.

I’m not sure it follows from this case that the US has better protections for speech, though. It certainly used to, but the argument being made here is that the Trump administration has reduced free speech protections lately.