Berlin: Participants in a solidarity demonstration with the protesters in Iran (archive photo) Photo: JOHN MACDOUGALL / AFP
From the BZ editorial team
Another attack on Iranian demonstrators in Berlin. A man attacked Iranian exiles in Berlin who were demonstrating with a camp for women’s rights and democracy in their home country.
The 26-year-old destroyed the activists’ banners on Saturday evening and threatened them with a knife. Nobody got hurt. The police arrested the man and initiated criminal proceedings. In addition, state security was switched on, as the police announced on Sunday night. State security always investigates when a political motive is suspected.
According to the Feminista Berlin group, which set up the protest camp in front of the Greens’ federal office in Berlin-Mitte a few weeks ago, nine activists were on site at the time of the attack. A total of four people, two men and two women, tampered with the banners.
One of the men then threatened the group with a knife. They were lucky because a police patrol happened to be on site at the moment, said one of those responsible. Police said they were investigating other possible suspects.
With their protest camp, the activists call on the party of Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to isolate Iran politically and to implement the feminist foreign policy announced by Baerbock. In Iran, people have been protesting against the government and the Islamic system of rule since mid-September. The trigger was the death of the 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Only about two weeks ago, a vigil in front of the Iranian embassy in Berlin was attacked by unknown persons. Three men were injured in the argument between the four activists present and the hooded attackers. According to the police, it is currently unclear whether there is a connection between the two crimes.