Several thousand people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin for a rally in favor of negotiations with Russia. The left-wing politician Sahra Wagenknecht and the women’s rights activist Alice Schwarzer called for this. Shortly before the start of the rally, the police spoke of initially around 5,000 participants and a continued strong influx; the organizers spoke of at least 10,000 people. Several smaller counter-demonstrations are also registered in the area.
According to official information, around 1,400 police officers are on duty. The assembly authority had explicitly ordered various restrictions, said the police. For example, one may not wear military uniforms or insignia, wave Russian, Soviet or Belarusian flags, sing Russian military songs or display the letters V and Z, which are symbols of Russian war of aggression.
The demonstration has the motto “Rebellion for Peace”. Shortly before it began, leading politicians of the traffic light coalition governing the federal government, but also of the left, distanced themselves from it. Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) said on ARD: “Everyone who is sane and sane wants peace.” But Wagenknecht and the people who followed her wanted to sell something as peace that an “imperialist dictator” was imposing on Europe. If that goes through, it would be an invitation to Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade the next few countries.
The SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mützenich said Rheinische Post: “Mrs. Wagenknecht’s point of view is not mine.” A stronger distinction from radical currents would have been good for the appeal. However, Mützenich also said that one had to recognize that parts of the population wanted an even stronger focus on peace talks. Stronger criticism came from FDP leader Christian Lindner: “Playing down Putin’s aggression, rejecting arms deliveries. No help – only demands for diplomatic solutions”, wrote the Federal Minister of Finance on Twitter. The protest action must be “replied clearly: Whoever does not stand by Ukraine is on the wrong side of history”.
Left party leader Janine Wissler also criticized the call for the event. Politicians from the left are taking part, but not them personally, Wissler told the Funke newspapers. “Because I’m taking part in other actions and because I’m worried about how the mobilization will be handled in right-wing circles. There’s a gap in the call,” she criticized.
From the SPD’s point of view, pictures of the demo come in handy for Putin’s propaganda
Wagenknecht and Schwarzer recently called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a much-discussed “Manifesto for Peace” to “stop the escalation of arms deliveries” and to “lead a strong alliance for a ceasefire and peace negotiations”. “On both sides” compromises would have to be made.
SPD parliamentary secretary Katja Mast accused the two organizers of serving Russian propaganda with the action: “She will exploit the demonstration for her own purposes. Everyone who is demonstrating on Saturday must know that,” said Mast and demanded from Wagenknecht and Schwarzer, “clearly to the right” to distinguish.
Schwarzer sees “a real citizens’ movement” emerging
Schwarzer denied the allegations. “Of course we will take action against any kind of right-wing extremist propaganda on the square,” she said. Wagenknecht and you stand for the opposite of right-wing politics. Referring to the many signatories to the manifesto, she said: “We are well on the way to becoming a real citizens’ movement.” She is amazed that Chancellor Scholz does not seem to take the concerns of so many people seriously.
Schwarzer also denied that she was generally against arms sales to Ukraine. However, these would have to be accompanied by diplomatic efforts. It is absolutely not true that she and Wagenknecht wanted to accept a capitulation from the Ukraine. “But after a year of death and destruction, I also ask: What is stopping us from starting negotiations now instead of waiting three years?”