May Day Liveblog – Hundreds of people at the start of the May demo

Around 20 demonstrations were announced for May Day in Berlin. Until the afternoon they were mostly peaceful. The demonstration by left-wing and radical left-wing groups entitled “Revolutionary May Day”, which is moving from Neukölln to Kreuzberg, has the greatest potential for rioting. 5,000 to 20,000 participants are expected. All developments here in the live blog.

According to Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD), up to 6,000 police officers are on duty. According to Spranger, they should intervene massively in riots.

All information about May 1st in the live blog!

6:19 p.m .: Police officers are ready

The Berlin police are supported by thousands of officers from other federal states and the federal police.

Police forces stand on the sidelines of the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” (Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa)

6:12 p.m.: “Freedom for Palestine” posters at the beginning of the demo

The 1st block is made up of “Migrantifa Berlin”, a broad alliance of migrant groups. Palestinian groups are also involved. They are currently leading the demonstration, holding a placard that says “Free Palestine” and waving flags.

Demo participants hold a “Freedom for Palestine” poster at the head of the demo (Photo: Axel Lier)

The Jewish Forum announced on Twitter that it would monitor the “Revolutionary May Day” demonstration and document anti-Semitic incidents. The police had announced in advance that they would also use interpreters to have Arabic slogans translated and to check whether they were inflammatory.

6:06 p.m .: Clear influx at May demo

According to the police, around 500 people gathered at Hertzbergplatz (as of 5:30 p.m.) – with a significant influx.

Participants in the “Revolutionary May Day Demonstration” gather for the opening rally (Photo: Christoph Soeder/dpa)

5:58 p.m .: Hundreds of people at the opening rally

Hundreds of people gathered on Hertzbergplatz on Sonnenallee, where the first speakers spoke. Various blocks, including many participants dressed in black – some with red face masks – formed up.

A block of mainly Turkish and Arabic migrants as “Migrantifa” could also be seen. Palestinian groups also took part, and a dpa reporter observed that some people showed flags.

5:53 p.m .: 6,000 police officers on duty

6000 police officers are on duty today. They come from Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and the federal police. This supports the Berlin police with 1000 officers, also on horseback.

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5:52 p.m .: Mobile roadblocks in front of the demo

Mobile roadblocks made of water are on Sonnenallee (Photo: Axel Lier)
Mobile roadblocks made of water are on Sonnenallee (Photo: Axel Lier)

5:51 p.m.: Approved route of the May Day Revolutionary demonstration

5.46 p.m .: Future guard at Kottbusser Tor secured against demo

At Kottbusser Tor, for example, the windows of the future police station in the high-rise above Adalbertstraße were protected with chipboard panels and bars. Local residents welcome the project in the place with a lot of crime and party life, but it is rejected by left-wing groups. The police there feared riots in the protest procession.

5.40 p.m .: Thousands on May 1st at the Kiezfest in Kreuzberg

Despite the cancellation of the big street festival “Myfest” in Berlin-Kreuzberg, a kind of unorganized neighborhood festival for May 1st formed there on Sunday. In the afternoon, thousands of mostly young people strolled and stood on the streets, on the sidewalks, in front of bars and in Görlitzer Park.

5.35 p.m .: Already in the afternoon there is a lot going on at Hertzbergplatz

In the afternoon, a number of demonstrators had already gathered at Hertzbergplatz, where the protest march was to start at 6 p.m. The police station there was also cordoned off. The police were present with a large contingent on the route that leads from Sonnenallee through North Neukölln to Kottbusser Damm and Oranienplatz.

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