- Thousands march through Berlin for cross-thinker demonstration
Thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Berlin once again on the fourth anniversary of the large "Querdenken" demonstration against the then-current corona measures. They gathered near the Victory Column in the Tiergarten district for a rally organized by the "Querdenken 711" movement, where the pandemic was just one of several topics discussed. According to the Berlin police, no major incidents were reported.
The police estimated that around 9,000 people participated in the march and up to 12,000 attended the rally. In eleven cases, the police found violations of the requirement not to display symbols related to the magazine "Compact," which has been classified as right-wing extremist by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution and has since been banned. A total of 500 police officers were deployed.
Some protesters called for an investigation into the corona measures and consequences for those responsible, while others waved flags with the dove of peace and displayed the peace sign.
Criticism of the traffic light coalition was not only implied: "Get rid of the complete idiots in the government - For regionalism, direct democracy, and limitation of power." One speaker called for Germany to leave NATO and said, "We want a government that represents our interests, not those of the USA and big capital."
"Querdenkers were right - from the beginning"
Michael Ballweg, the initiator of "Querdenken" who organized the rally, explained what he and his supporters are fighting for: "My core concern is the issue of fundamental rights. Of course, the topic of peace is also important, as well as the topic of investigation and, in particular, the topic of change."
Many around Ballweg feel vindicated in their criticism of the federal government's corona policy: Many participants wore t-shirts with the slogan "Querdenkers were right - from the beginning" printed on the chest.
Counter-protesters held signs reading "Racism is not an alternative" or "No room for right-wing propaganda." One speaker described the theses of the Querdenkers as "anti-scientific fundamentalist nonsense" and called for more support for people suffering from long covid.
Ballweg criticized the Berlin Office of Public Order and the police for delaying and unnecessarily complicating the registration and organization of the rally, for example by imposing restrictions on the designated area that he considered unjustified. This time, the demonstration was not allowed to take place directly at the Victory Column.
The "Querdenken" movement, which originated in Stuttgart, has been demonstrating against political measures to contain the coronavirus in many German cities since the beginning of the corona pandemic in spring 2020.
At a demonstration by the "Querdenkers" on August 2, 2020, in Berlin, around 20,000 protesters, according to police estimates, and a much higher number, according to the organizers, demonstrated against the then-current corona measures.
Michael Ballweg, the organizer of the rally, continually advocates for the protection of fundamental rights and peace, as well as an investigation into the corona measures and change. Many supporters of Ballweg wear t-shirts with the message "Querdenkers were right - from the beginning," expressing their agreement with his criticism of the federal government's corona policy.
