Hamburg-Dammtor station: a key rail hub in Germany. - Supporters of Palestine will hold a vigil near the university until June's conclusion.
A Palestinian protest camp near the University of Hamburg has been active for over a month, and it's expected to continue for at least a few more weeks. According to a police spokesperson, "The extension of the protest camp has been confirmed until June 30th."
The number of protesters camping out in the tents fluctuates between the double-digit and single-digit range. The spokesperson said, "The number varies greatly and sometimes drops to single-digit numbers."
The protest camp, nicknamed "Hands off Rafah," is supported by groups like "Students for Palestine HH" and the Palestinian group "Thawra." They've been promoting the event on social media platforms like Instagram.
So far, the protests have been relatively peaceful, with only minor incidents such as altercations and verbal disputes resulting in legal proceedings for petty offenses. There's been no sign of aggressive behavior.
The police spokesperson also confirmed that the camp is under constant surveillance by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. "There is hardly a place that is observed as intensively as this one," said Interior Senator Andy Grote on Tuesday during the presentation of the Verfassungsschutz report for 2023. "Every letter written on any sign there is analyzed." Some signs have even been removed.
Similar protests have been happening at various universities in the United States for several weeks, condemning Israel's actions during the Gaza War. The aim is to show support for the Palestinians.
This comes after the devastating terror attacks carried out by Hamas and other groups on October 7th, resulting in over 1200 fatalities. Israel's response included massive air raids and a ground offensive, leading to widespread international criticism due to the large number of civilian casualties and the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
