After a legal back and forth, it is now clear: the pro-Palestinian demonstration planned for the afternoon in Frankfurt remains banned. The Hessian Administrative Court decided this at short notice. 1,000 people came to a counter-demonstration.
The pro-Palestinian demonstration planned for Saturday afternoon in downtown Frankfurt remains banned. The Hessian Administrative Court (VGH) in Kassel made this decision at short notice following an urgent application from the city of Frankfurt.
Half an hour before the planned start of the demonstration in downtown Frankfurt, the police informed about it on X, formerly Twitter. Officials are on duty in the area of Opernplatz “to enforce the prohibition order”.
Announcements were made calling on demonstrators to leave the area. According to hr information, the first arrests have been made. Officials began recording the personal details of those continuing to demonstrate in the afternoon.
Public safety is at immediate risk from the demonstration
The VGH justified its decision against the “A Free Palestine” demonstration as follows: Incidents at similar events had created the risk that public safety would be “immediately endangered” if it were held; There have been repeated crimes in the past. The applicant for the demo was briefly arrested in Frankfurt on Friday and, according to the police, she is accused of making inciting statements.
In the interview, Mayor Mike Josef (SPD) expressed relief that the right to assemble could not be used to “shout anti-Semitic slogans.” Frankfurt’s public order officer Annette Rinn (FDP) told the hr: “I’m extremely pleased because I had great concerns about security in the city.”
The right to assembly does not cover anti-Semitic slogans
The city had banned the demonstration planned for around 1,000 people because it feared that it could lead to anti-Israel riots. The Frankfurt Administrative Court (VG) objected to the ban on Friday evening after the person who registered the demo submitted an urgent application. So now the role goes backwards – the demo remains banned, the VGH’s decision cannot be appealed.
1,000 people at pro-Israel rally
The police are out in the city center with a large contingent in the afternoon. The Opera Square, where the pro-Palestinian procession wanted to set off, was cordoned off with bars. Further pro-Israel rallies were launched in the early afternoon.
According to the police, around 1,000 people were expected to come to Paulsplatz, where prominent guests spoke under the motto “Solidarity with Israel”. Hesse’s anti-Semitism commissioner Uwe Becker (CDU) said: He does not believe that freedom of expression and assembly in the Basic Law can be understood as “celebrating massacres of Jews.
Michel Friedman, former deputy chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said with regard to the Hamas attacks in Israel: Nobody is surprised that the “terror of the past” is striking again.
Several pro-Israel events
While the city and demonstrators waited for the new decision from Kassel, the first expressions of solidarity for Israel began in Frankfurt. On Saturday morning there was an “Interreligious Prayer for Justice and Peace in Israel” in Frankfurt Cathedral with the Catholic City Dean of Frankfurt, Johannes zu Eltz, and the Protestant City Dean of Frankfurt and Offenbach, Holger Kamlah. From 1 p.m. a rally with the title “Support Israel” was registered on Goetheplatz.
hessenschau update – The newsletter for Hesse
End of the form
End of further information