Hundreds of people in Berlin staged rallies and demonstrations on Saturday ahead of the first anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Nearly 500 police officers were on duty, the police said on the online platform X. Officers are preparing for a major operation throughout the weekend, as numerous gatherings have also been announced for Sunday.
The number of participants was relatively low initially.
Demonstrations are also planned in other parts of Germany. In Hamburg, hundreds of demonstrators gathered and initially protested peacefully against the war in Gaza.
According to the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the domestic intelligence agency, the focus of the protests is likely to be the capital.
Pro-Palestinian demonstration in Tempelhof
Hundreds of people gathered in Berlin near the former Tempelhof airport on Saturday for a pro-Palestinian demonstration entitled “One year of genocide – and the world looks on. Against police violence.”
At the start of the gathering, the police estimated the number of participants at around 500. After the protest march had started, they spoke of more than 1,000 participants.
A police spokeswoman said that more people were still joining the march. The demonstrators planned to march from Tempelhof through Kreuzberg district to the Brandenburg Gate.
Many of the participants waved Palestinian flags and signs read “Free Palestine.” A large, blood-red banner read “Stop Israel’s Blood Genoicide.”
Several demonstrators held up photos showing police officers during operations, denouncing police violence.
Speeches criticized German arms deliveries to Israel. The tone was sometimes aggressive. The mood among the demonstrators was heated. According to the police, participants chanted forbidden slogans several times.
Pro-Israeli rally in Berlin’s Mitte district
A large crowd gathered in front of Humboldt University in central Berlin for a pro-Israeli rally that went through the city’s Mitte district.
Police estimated that approximately 650 people participated. Some of them waved Israeli flags, some carried a large banner condemning global anti-Semitism, the theme of the rally. Members of the radical left-wing Antifa movement also participated.
The demonstration reached its end point in the afternoon without major disturbances, according to the police.
However, some 20 people are said to have tried to push their way into the protest march. Police intervened, according to the spokesman. Skirmishes broke out. It is still being investigated whether the people were from the pro-Palestinian camp, the spokesman said.
Ten detained after anti-Israel chants at Alexanderplatz
Late Friday, police intervened at pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Berlin’s central Alexanderplatz due to anti-Israel chants and actions, resulting in 10 temporary arrests on Friday evening, according to police reports.
One incident involved a man tearing paper Israeli flags during a “Vigil for Gaza” rally.
At another gathering titled “Stop the War,” which saw a peak attendance of about 100 participants, police reported that anti-Israel or slogans demeaning Israel were repeatedly chanted. The rally’s leaders were urged to moderate the participants.
Around 60 people participated in the vigil, according to police, with approximately 400 officers present at the scene.
Investigations are ongoing for suspicion of insult and suspicion of using identifiers of unconstitutional and terrorist organizations.
Furthermore, the 40-year-old mother of an 11-year-old child is being investigated on suspicion of violating the duty of care and upbringing.
This is because, according to the police, speeches were deliberately delivered by underage children during the “Stop the War” rally, who cannot yet be held accountable under criminal law.
Large police presence
The planned demos have prompted a large-scale police operation to keep the peace. The police union said it was expecting a “city-wide, dynamic situation” in the capital.
Separately, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution warned of an increase in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic protests.
BFV President Thomas Haldenwang said that the current situation holds significant potential for “heightened emotions, polarization and radicalization” among previously moderate actors.
Faeser calls for a tough crackdown on anti-Semitism
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser announced a robust police response to any anti-Semitic incidents during rallies and demonstrations.
With tensions heightened due to ongoing violence in the Middle East, Faeser, in an interview published by newspaper Tagesspiegel, emphasized the need for space to grieve while ensuring peaceful protests, which she described as essential to democracy.
However, she warned that any displays of hatred towards Jews, calls for Israel’s destruction, Islamist propaganda, or attacks on emergency services would be met with swift police intervention.
Faeser reiterated her full backing for law enforcement actions to maintain public safety during these events.
Meanwhile, Iris Spranger, who is responsible for security in the regional administration for the city state of Berlin, told dpa on Saturday that her position is clear: “Hatred, defamation and anti-Semitism do not belong on the streets of Berlin.”
“We will do everything we can to ensure that demonstrations around October 7 can be carried out peacefully and safely,” she added.
