Large protests are taking place in Berlin against the war in the Gaza Strip and Israel. Jewish associations are outraged by the pro-Palestine rally. The police are on site with a large contingent. What is known before the event begins.
What is the Palestine Congress?
Under the motto “We accuse” A protest rally will take place in Berlin from this Friday. It is directed against the war in the Gaza Strip and against the supply of arms to Israel. According to police, the permanent rally has been registered until April 15th.
Where is the event taking place?
Pro-Palestinian activists have been camping in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin since Monday. Where the rally would take place was only announced shortly before it began. As the organizers announce on their website, “Palestine Congress” took place south of Tempelhofer Feld on Germaniastrasse.
Who is expected at the protest?
According to the Senate Interior Administration in Berlin, groups that were anti-Israel mobilized for the event “Boycott spectrum” are to be attributed. There are also other anti-Israel groups like this “Workers Power Group” (GAM), “revolution” (REVO) and that “United Palestinian National Committee” (VPNK).
What safety precautions are there?
The police are preparing for a major operation in Berlin with 2,500 emergency services from all federal states. Around 900 officers will be deployed on Friday alone. The police announced that they would take consistent and quick action over the weekend as soon as there was any suspicion of criminal activity. “The police will take consistent action against anti-Semitic crimes and prevent the display of prohibited license plates and symbols”said Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD). “Any attempt to abuse the fundamental right to freedom of assembly to attack our social coexistence through anti-Semitic and anti-Israel crimes will have consequences.”
The Berlin security authorities are continually assessing findings about the event, according to the interior administration. The operation is led by the head of the Operations and Traffic Directorate, Stephan Katte. The police officer already has experience with several large demonstrations, including in the context of the Gaza war. Katte also led the operation at the turn of the year 2023/24.
Who criticizes the Palestine Congress?
A non-partisan one “Alliance against anti-Semitic terror” jointly opposes the event and has called for opposition. The critics said in a statement that glorification of terror and calls for the destruction of Israel are to be expected. Behind the alliance are various organizations such as the Amadeu Antonio Foundation as well as politicians from the FDP, SPD, Greens, CDU/CSU and Left.
The support group for the Holocaust memorial in Berlin had called for the planned one “Palestine Congress” to disallow. The chairwoman of the Memorial for the Murdered Jews of Europe group, Lea Rosh, spoke out firmly against the event on Friday. “We noted with indignation that a congress is planned that obviously does not serve the purpose of critical discourse, but rather the networking of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic groups. We demand a ban on the event”said Rosh.
She called on the relevant authorities to act decisively within the framework of legal possibilities. “In a city that keeps alive the memory of the horrors of the Holocaust, we cannot and must not allow anti-Semitic and anti-Israel narratives to spread”Rosh emphasized.
The Central Council of Jews described the event as “a showcase of anti-Zionism”. “Anyone who ignores Hamas’ terror and thus the organization’s murderous strategy against its own population discredits themselves”wrote Central Council President Josef Schuster on Thursday on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
