Crowd control: Law enforcement intercedes Palestinian protest - Law enforcement authorities disperse pro-Palestinian protest gathering
Unauthorized Pro-Palestinian Demonstration in Berlin Ends with Arrests
On August 18, 2025, an unauthorized pro-Palestinian protest took place near the German Federal Chancellery in Berlin, resulting in 188 arrests. The demonstration, which involved approximately 110 protesters, was not registered with the police and violated the Assembly Freedom Act.
The protesters chanted slogans glorifying Hamas leaders and denied Israel's existence, which is illegal under German Penal Code §86a. This law outlaws public representation of unconstitutional and terrorist insignia except in strict context (academic, artistic). Despite the illegal nature of the slogans, no one identified themselves as the event's leader during the demonstration.
The demonstration began near Heinrich von Gagern Straße and saw protesters marching towards the Chancellor’s Office. They shouted banned chants such as “Sinwar, Sinwar,” referring to Yahya Sinwar, a Hamas leader associated with the October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, and "Israel will never be," seen as a call for the elimination of the Jewish state.
In response to the demonstration, around 230 officers were deployed to handle the situation. Police used vehicles to encircle protesters and, when some resisted or tried to flee, used irritant gas to control participants. Five officers were injured during the intervention. A total of 183 protesters have been charged with terrorism-related offenses and public order crimes.
It's worth noting that Germany has increasingly criminalized certain pro-Palestinian solidarity actions. Groups and slogans viewed as endorsing terrorism or denying Israel’s right to exist face surveillance, restrictions, and bans, as part of broader measures targeting Palestine solidarity networks. This includes proscription of certain organizations under anti-terror laws and efforts against movements like Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).
Regarding the response from police in Gaza Strip, no direct information is available. The German police handled the event locally in Berlin, but no official statements or responses from Gaza police have been reported in the context of this protest.
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues to provoke strong opinions and political actions worldwide, including large-scale protests in Germany. In 2023-2025, the situation has intensified with divergent views within German politics, public protests demanding ceasefire, and heightened scrutiny of solidarity activism related to Palestine. The tension reflects broader political and social conflicts involving human rights, terrorism legislation, and international diplomacy concerning the Middle East conflict.
Sources:
[1] https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-pro-palestinian-protest-ends-in-arrests/a-61324662 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/19/german-courts-increasingly-crackdown-on-pro-palestinian-activism [3] https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/german-pro-palestinian-protest-turns-violent-188-arrested-2025-08-18/ [4] https://www.haaretz.com/world-news/europe/germany-cracks-down-on-pro-palestinian-activism-1.9484124
- The unauthorized pro-Palestinian demonstration in Berlin, which involved chanting slogans glorifying Hamas leaders and denying Israel's existence, is a clear example of the increasing application of Germany's employment policy, specifically the prohibition of public representation of unconstitutional and terrorist insignia, as stated in the German Penal Code §86a.
- In the context of the escalating Israeli-Palestinian conflict and increased political actions worldwide, the community policy on monitoring and restricting pro-Palestinian solidarity actions, including surveillance, restrictions, and bans of certain organizations under anti-terror laws, seems to be significantly influenced by politics and general news related to war-and-conflicts in the Middle East.
