Berlin: Pro-Palestinian protest march with thousands of people
Thousands of people gathered at the start of the pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin. The area around the Neptune Fountain on Alexanderplatz in the Mitte district began to fill up with people carrying Palestinian flags and placards with slogans such as "Stop the genocide in Gaza" and "From the river to the sea - we demand equality".
The phrase means that there should be a free Palestine between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea - where Israel is now located. One speaker called for an end to the "apartheid culture" and a stop to the bombing of Gaza.
Around 3 p.m., the police counted around 6000 people. However, "a further influx is to be expected", said a spokeswoman on site. The police checked the identity of individual participants. Some posters that had violated the regulations had been painted over or taken down.
Not everything allowed
The demonstration is taking place under strict conditions. Head of operations Stephan Katte emphasized in advance that anyone who denies Israel's right to exist is also committing a criminal offence that will be punished immediately.
"Repeatedly committing such offenses can lead to the dissolution of an assembly at a very early stage," Katte told the German Press Agency. According to the police, any statements that are anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and glorify violence or terror are prohibited. "We assume that the majority of participants will take to the streets in peaceful protest," said Dierschke. However, the police are expecting isolated violations.
Several pro-Palestinian groups across Germany have called for the protest march. "Many from the left-wing political spectrum, who have already called for a 'revolutionary May Day demonstration' this year, have also mobilized," said the police.
The strict conditions for the demonstration prohibit any statements that deny Israel's right to exist or glorify violence or terror. Despite this, conflicts arose between some protestors and the police due to their protests against Israel's actions in the Middle East, leading to numerous demonstrations and conflicts in various cities across Germany. The Middle East remains a region plagued by war and unrest, with ongoing conflicts in places like Gaza, causing regular waves of protests and demonstrations worldwide.
Source: www.dpa.com
