Fresh clashes at Palestinian protest in Berlin
During a pro-Palestinian rally in Berlin's Kreuzberg and Neukölln districts, the situation turned chaotic once again. As the police attempted to disband the gathering on Sonnenallee on Wednesday evening, the crowd became unruly. A witness claims that police officers were subjected to bottle-throwing, egg attacks, and verbal abuse. Water cannons were even used as a deterrent. The authorities remained silent on any incidents, arrests, or injuries to their officers until the following day.
The "Bild" newspaper revealed that the Sonnenallee was the scene of severe disruption and riotous behavior. The police force was allegedly pelted with bottles and eggs, surrounded, and insulted. The demonstrators reportedly screamed "The whole of Berlin hates the police" and set off fireworks. Multiple arrests were made, including one of an elderly woman. Additionally, a fire truck from the Berlin Fire Department was pelted with fireworks, according to the report.
According to the "Tagesspiegel," a police officer sustained a head injury after being struck with a flagpole. The perpetrator was quickly apprehended. Additionally, there were multiple instances of fires ignited at a power box and trash bins, which had to be extinguished. The paper reported that 19 criminal proceedings were initiated for offenses such as assaulting and resisting execution officers, serious breach of the peace, grievous bodily harm, property damage, insulting, and use of symbols for unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.
In the evening, a police spokesperson acknowledged that the demonstration had turned out to be much larger than previously anticipated, with approximately 1,400 participants. The authorities expected only 1,000 people to turn up. The protest march started at Oranienplatz and headed towards Hermannplatz. Protesters and counter-protesters could be heard shouting "Free Palestine," while some chanted the anti-Semitic slogan "Child murderers, Israel." There were also signs reading "Berlin will burn" and "Fuck you, Germany."
Even on Tuesday night, a pro-Palestinian gathering in Neukölln devolved into violence. Police officers were targeted with stone-throwing and bottle-tossing. Moreover, pyrotechnics were set off, according to a police spokesperson. Around 850 people gathered for this event, per police estimates. In the end, the riot squad dispersed the protest at Hermannplatz in the wee hours of the morning.
Resources:
- Demonstration in Berlin-Neukölln turns violent: Water cannons, arrests, and inflammatory slogans
- Pro-Palestinian demonstrators attack police with bottles, eggs and fireworks in Berlin-Neukölln
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