Middle East conflict - Pro-Palestinian demonstrations in NRW
In North Rhine-Westphalia, people took to the streets again on Saturday at several comparatively small pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Around 200 people took part in a demonstration in Düsseldorf, as reported by a local dpa reporter. Rallies were also planned in Cologne, Bielefeld and Dortmund.
The Düsseldorf demonstration had caused a legal dispute in the run-up to the event: among other things, the police had banned chanting "Stop the genocide" or "Stop the genocide" or displaying them on posters. The Düsseldorf Administrative Court still considered this to be permissible, but the Münster Higher Administrative Court overturned the ban on Saturday.
It was unlawful to prohibit the wording, an OVG spokesperson explained. It did not constitute a criminal offence. Taking freedom of expression into account, it was not apparent that the slogan violated the criminal offences of incitement to hatred or condoning certain crimes. It was also not apparent to what extent the slogan was to be understood as "condoning" the crimes committed by Hamas, in particular the terrorist attack on October 7.
Slogans that could be understood as a denial of the state of Israel, however, remained prohibited in Düsseldorf. According to the police, everything remained peaceful at the demonstration. There was also a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Cologne on Saturday afternoon. In Bielefeld, around 1000 participants were registered for a demonstration on Saturday evening. A smaller rally was also planned in Dortmund.
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In response to the Middle East conflict, pro-Palestinian demonstrations were held not only in Düsseldorf but also in cities like Cologne, Bielefeld, and Dortmund, all located in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Israel, a key player in the Middle East conflict, was not mentioned in the demonstrations, but the controversy surrounding the use of certain slogans like "Stop the genocide" at the Düsseldorf demonstration highlights the complexities of the situation. The legal dispute over the slogan's permissibility illustrates the sensitivity around the Middle East conflict, with the Düsseldorf Administrative Court initially permitting and later the Münster Higher Administrative Court overturning the ban. Despite the legal dispute, demonstrations in cities like Cologne and planned events in Bielefeld and Dortmund continued, indicating a strong presence and commitment among the German population. The peacefulness of the Düsseldorf demonstration, as reported by the police, is also noteworthy, signaling a constructive manner in which the conflict is being addressed in Germany's public sphere.
Source: www.stern.de
