Tension is high ahead of the first anniversary of the terrorist attack on Israel. The police are preparing for several large-scale operations, the first ones are already underway.
Even before the anniversary on October 7th, hundreds of people in Berlin are commemorating the Hamas massacre in Israel and the Gaza war with rallies and demonstrations. Almost 500 police officers are on duty, as the police announced on the online platform X. She is preparing for a large-scale operation throughout the weekend, as numerous meetings have also been announced for Sunday.
Demonstrations are also planned elsewhere in Germany. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Hamburg and initially protested peacefully against the Gaza war. According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the focus of the protests is likely to be the capital.
Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Tempelhof
Hundreds of people gathered in Berlin at Airlift Square near police headquarters for a pro-Palestinian demonstration entitled “One year of genocide – and the world is watching. Against police violence”. The police estimated the number of participants at the start of the meeting to be around 500. After the protest march started, they spoke of more than 1,000 participants. More people joined them, said a police spokeswoman. The demonstrators wanted to walk from Tempelhof through Kreuzberg to the Brandenburg Gate.
Many of the participants waved Palestine flags and signs read “Free Palestine.” A large banner covered in blood-red paint read “Stop Israel’s Blood Genoicide.” German arms deliveries to Israel were criticized in speeches. The tone was sometimes aggressive. The mood among the demonstrators was heated. Several of them held up photos of police officers during operations and denounced police violence.
Pro-Israel rally in Berlin-Mitte
Numerous people gathered in front of Humboldt University for a pro-Israel rally that went through Berlin-Mitte. The police spoke of an estimated 650 participants. Some of them waved Israeli flags. The motto of the rally could be read on a large banner: “Against the anti-Semitic International.” Members of the radical left-wing Antifa movement also took part. One poster read, for example, “reclaim antifa. emancipation instead of anti-Semitism.”
The demonstration reached its end in the afternoon without any major disruptions, according to the police. However, a group of around 20 people is said to have tried to push into the protest procession. The police intervened, said the spokesman. It is still being checked whether these are people from the pro-Palestinian camp.
A year ago on October 7, 2023, terrorists from Hamas and other extremist groups killed more than 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped around 250 others as hostages in the Gaza Strip. This was the trigger for the Gaza war, in which, according to the Hamas-controlled health authority, around 42,000 Palestinians have been killed so far, around a third of them children and young people.
Anti-Israeli shouts, flags burned
The police intervened in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Berlin’s Alexanderplatz because of anti-Israel statements and actions. According to authorities, there were ten temporary arrests on Friday evening. In one case, this involved a man tearing up paper flags of the State of Israel at a “Vigil for Gaza” rally.
According to the police, at a meeting entitled “Stop the War” with around 100 participants, anti-Israel slogans or slogans that defamed Israel were repeatedly shouted. The meeting leadership was asked to have a moderating influence on the people.
According to their own information, the police had around 400 officers on site. Among other things, the investigation is being carried out on suspicion of insults and the suspicion of using the symbols of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations, it said.
The mother of an eleven-year-old child is also being investigated on suspicion of violating her duty of care and upbringing. The background is that, according to the police, speeches at the “Stop the War” rally were specifically made by underage children who cannot yet be prosecuted.
Union expects “dynamic situation”
The police union expects a “city-wide, dynamic situation” in connection with the anniversary in the capital. According to the police, around 2,000 officers will be on duty on the anniversary itself, on Monday. Several commemorative events and protests have been announced.
Berlin’s Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) has announced a tough crackdown in the event of anti-Semitic statements. Berlin police officers and emergency services from other federal states as well as the federal police would pursue crimes with all vigor, said Spranger. Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) had previously emphasized that the police forces would have their full support.
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.
