By BZ/dpa and Mareike Drünkler
Thousands are once again marching through Berlin in a hate demonstration against Israel.
Apparently more than 4,000 people came together for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Kreuzberg on Saturday. Many participants carried banners condemning Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian-inhabited Gaza Strip – the country’s response to the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th.
One poster accused Israel of “genocide.” There was also criticism that the federal government supports Israel. There were many Palestinian flags on display. Demonstrators repeatedly shouted “Viva, Viva Palestine” or “Free Palestine!” Stop the Genocide.”
Demonstrators on the bridge of the elevated railway near Görlitzer Bahnhof. Traffic on the U1 had to be interrupted Photo: Olaf Wagner
The mood is heated. Demonstrators also climbed onto the elevated subway bridge at Görlitzer Bahnhof. The U1 line had to be interrupted. The police finally cleared the bridge.
Police lead demonstrators from the subway high bridge in Kreuzberg Photo: Olaf Wagner
According to the police, the demonstration was registered by a private individual under the title “Global South United!” It started in the late afternoon at Oranienplatz with, according to the police, around 3,000 participants and was supposed to run around three kilometers through the Kreuzberg district to the festival hall on Puschkinallee.
The police were on site with a large contingent. This also included interpreters in order to prevent the possible spread of criminal content by participants in foreign languages, such as Arabic, it was said.
Several thousand people came to the pro-Palestine demonstration in Kreuzberg Photo: Olaf Wagner
On October 7th, terrorists from Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, carried out a massacre of civilians in Israel, killing around 1,400 people and kidnapping more than 200 people. Since then, Israel’s army has been attacking targets in the sealed-off Palestinian territory. According to Palestinian information, thousands of people have already died there.
Since the Hamas terrorist attack, anti-Semitic and anti-Israel actions have repeatedly occurred at pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Berlin. Against this background, the police have repeatedly issued prohibitory orders against certain demonstrations, while others were allowed to take place.
Many Jewish people in Berlin complain about an increase in anti-Semitism and threats in everyday life.