Thousands of Israel haters marched through Berlin again on Saturday. A comment from Stefan Kost, member of the BZ editorial team Photo: Peter Müller
By Stefan Kost
You and I and many other Berliners no longer recognize our beautiful Berlin.
One hate demonstration follows the next. There are loud calls for the destruction of Israel. The mob chants in front of Starbucks just because a legendary former boss is Jewish. Berlin’s police officers are working overtime after overtime, and yet they can’t catch every Hamas supporter.
And many Berliners also ask themselves: What is our Senate actually doing to stop this madness?
At least some politicians are taking a clear stance against hatred and incitement, such as Federal Minister Cem Özdemir. However, the governor, Kai Wegner, did not even want to comment on the hate demonstration in front of his official residence on Sunday.
And where are the Berlin SPD leader Raed Saleh or the Kreuzberg Greens, who usually speak out at the slightest suspicion of racism?
No, too many have gone underground. Berlin is no longer a defensive capital that fights for the values of the (peaceful) Berliners.