Berlin: Pro-Palestinian demonstration with 10,000 participants moves through Kreuzberg

According to the police, around 10,000 people gathered for a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin-Kreuzberg on Saturday. The demo started in the afternoon from Oranienplatz.

1,500 people were registered for the rally, which began at 4 p.m. An rbb reporter spoke of a “normal demo atmosphere”. The demonstration arrived at the end point of the route in Puschkinallee in the evening and slowly dispersed.

According to police, the event was largely peaceful. However, several demonstrators climbed onto the high bridge between the Schlesisches Tor and Görlitzer Bahnhof subway stations and set off pyrotechnics.

The BVG then switched off the traction current for almost half an hour and stopped subway traffic. After the demonstrators left the tracks, subway traffic resumed. However, the trains did not stop at the Schlesisches Tor and Görlitzer Bahnhof stations until 7:30 p.m.

Many participants had banners with them on the demo route denouncing the attacks Israel’s attacks on the Palestinian-inhabited Gaza Strip – the country is reacting to the Hamas terrorist attack on October 7th.

A poster accused Israel of “genocide.” There was also criticism that the federal government supports Israel. There were many Palestinian flags on display. Demonstrators repeatedly chanted “Viva, Viva Palestine” or “Free Palestine.”

According to the police, the demonstration was registered by a private individual under the title “Global South United!” It led around three kilometers through the Kreuzberg district to the Kreuzberg 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.

In the afternoon, a demonstration on the Middle East was moved from the Brandenburg Gate to Washingtonplatz at the main train station. 200 people took part. The rally ended without incident in the early afternoon.

Several pro-Palestinian demonstrations took place in Berlin on Friday and were peaceful. However, the police also broke up several banned gatherings. Two officers were injured and numerous arrests were made.

On October 7th, terrorists from Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, carried out a massacre of civilians in Israel, leaving around 1,400 dead more than 200 people abducted. 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.

Broadcast: rbb24 Abendschau, October 28, 2023, 7:15 p.m