Thursday, May 15
Court halts deportation of “Berlin four”
When the story first broke in The Intercept, it shocked many as a stark example of Berlin’s stance on political protest over Palestine: four activists—three from the EU (two Irish, one Polish) and a US citizen—were set to be deported from Germany due to their involvement in pro-Palestine demonstrations at Berlin’s Free University. The decision made international headlines, particularly as, according to the initial reporting, officials within the Berlin Senate had themselves questioned the legality of the order.
Now it appears the activists, already dubbed the “Berlin four”, have received some good news. The Berlin Administrative Court has ruled in their favour, granting the appeal for all four: Irish citizens Shane O’Brien and Roberta Murray, Polish national Kasia Wlaszczyk, and US citizen Cooper Longbottom.
This does not mean the case is over, only that they cannot be legally deported until the case has been heard. In the proceedings, representatives of the state of Berlin argued that deportation was justified because the four had taken part in pro-Palestine protests during which criminal offences were committed. They alleged that masked individuals entered a university building and threatened employees.
The court disagreed that these grounds were sufficient. It noted, for example, that Cooper Longbottom has no criminal record, the evidence regarding his actions was unclear, and there is no indication he was even a permanent member of the organising group.
In short, this is good news for the activists, but it is not over yet. Police investigations are ongoing.
