Thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through the streets of Berlin to commemorate the Nakba Day, with the police presence of approximately 500 officers. The participants displayed signs of support for Hamas, with one woman gesturing an inverted red triangle, commonly used by the terrorist group to mark targets. The gathering, titled “Palestine will be free,” started at Oranienplatz in Kreuzberg and moved towards Rotes Rathaus, with an estimated 6200 attendees in contrast to the expected 2000. Despite some individuals being arrested for identity verification, the event saw the use of fireworks and sporadic arrests.
The demonstrators carried banners with phrases such as “Genocide,” promoting a conspiracy theory accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Flags of Palestine and far-left parties were prominent, along with signs reading “Queers for Palestine.” The procession was frequently stopped due to pyrotechnics being ignited or banned slogans being chanted, with participants attempting to obstruct police documentation by knotting banners and opening umbrellas. Hateful messages, calls to violence, and symbols of terrorist organizations like Hamas and Samidoun were not allowed by police regulations.
FDP politician Karoline Preisler was among the protesters as a lone counter-demonstrator, displaying photos of Hamas victims at previous anti-Israel rallies. Her presence sparked aggressive reactions from some demonstrators, resulting in police intervention to protect her. About 2500 participants reached the designated endpoint of the demonstration, marking the Nakba Day that commemorates the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. A separate incident on Wednesday in Charlottenburg led to disturbances in Neukölln, where clashes erupted with around 200 demonstrators setting fires and throwing objects.
Berlin has witnessed weekly protests since the Hamas terror attack on Israel, with over 1040 ongoing cases related to the Gaza conflict according to the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office. Around 210 of these cases involve crimes committed during demonstrations regarding the Middle East conflict, such as incitement to hatred, vandalism, insults, and the use of symbols of banned organizations. The protests have been a regular occurrence in response to the ongoing violence in the region, illustrating the complex dynamics and tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
