Reul wants to review demo requirements
Following the pro-Palestinian demonstration in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul has announced that he will review the conditions for demonstrations. Anyone who proclaims a caliphate state on the streets has not understood the basic democratic order in Germany, the CDU politician told Bild am Sonntag. "We will closely review the conditions for this and, if necessary, tighten them even further. And above all, we will call on the federal government to legally review bans on other Islamist associations that are relevant here."
The demonstration had reached a "new quality". "Such clear promotion of Islamist goals on the streets has never been seen before in NRW."
At the rally on Friday evening in Essen, banners calling for the establishment of a caliphate were displayed, among other things. Hizb ut-Tahrir, for example, which has been banned from operating since 2003, is calling for this. In Berlin, thousands of people took to the streets at a pro-Palestinian rally on Saturday. According to the police, 30 investigations were launched there, 16 on suspicion of incitement to hatred.
Reul said that the police, with the support of interpreters and the state security and assembly authorities, had quickly analyzed Arabic characters and symbols on flags. "So far, they have not been able to identify any criminal offenses. Nevertheless, we will examine further image and audio material and submit everything that is remotely relevant to the public prosecutor's office."
Federal Minister of Justice Marco Buschmann (FDP) told the newspaper that he was appalled by the demonstration. "The aim must be to establish the identities of suspects and secure evidence so that criminal proceedings can be brought quickly." CSU General Secretary Martin Huber expressed a similar view. "As a society, we must show a clear edge and as a state governed by the rule of law, we must show full firmness. Anyone who attacks Jews and celebrates anti-Semitism is attacking us all," he told the German Press Agency.
Reul's review of demonstration conditions might lead to stricter regulations, considering the conflicts arising from the pro-Palestinian demonstration in Essen. The increased use of symbols and banners advocating for a caliphate state has escalated conflicts during such demonstrations, necessitating a comprehensive evaluation.
Source: www.dpa.com
