
Monday, 13 January
Clashes and arrests at annual Liebknecht-Luxemburg memorial march in Berlin
The annual Liebknecht-Luxemburg memorial march in Berlin, meant to honor the communist leaders Karl Liebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, turned violent on Sunday, leading to over 20 arrests and 17 injured police officers.
What began as a peaceful demonstration at Frankfurter Tor quickly escalated when tensions flared between protesters and police. Authorities reported incidents involving thrown bottles, flagpoles used as weapons, and flares being lit. The march, organized by a leftist coalition with 10,000 participants expected, saw a turnout closer to 3,000, according to police estimates.
After clashes broke out, officers used tear gas to disperse the crowd, halting the march temporarily. Videos posted online showed police shoving protesters, some being forcibly taken to the ground.
“More than 20 people were arrested, and ten criminal investigations have been launched,” police confirmed via social media.
Ferat Koçak, a Berlin Left Party politician observing the event, has been vocal about police brutality. He highlighted one incident in which a protester was struck in the face and rendered unconscious. Police later stated the individual had resisted arrest and was found to have an open warrant.
The Berlin Fire Brigade confirmed three people were treated for minor injuries and taken to hospital, but no serious injuries were reported.
The event commemorates the murder of Liebknecht and Luxemburg on January 15, 1919, during the suppression of the Spartacus Uprising. Both leaders were key figures in founding the German Communist Party and spearheading revolutionary movements against the government.