Monday 15, April
Palestinian conference shut down by Berlin police
This weekend, police clamped down on what was meant to be a 3-day conference of pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin.
Police expressed fear that one particular speaker, who has been named by organisers as Salman Abu Sitta, would express what authorities have deemed as antisemitic remarks. Sitta, who appeared at a protest event via video call, is the author of a January essay in which he expressed understanding for the Hamas militants behind the October 7 attack on Israel. According to information published by Stern, Sitta is banned from entering Germany.
This is what happened at the conference: Police temporarily shut down the power at the protest venue when Sitta started speaking. They then demanded some 250 participants leave the area. “A speaker was projected who was subject to a ban on political activity,” Berlin police announced on social media. “There is a risk that a speaker will repeatedly be shown via video who in the past made antisemitic comments and glorified violence. For this reason, the gathering was ended and banned on Saturday and Sunday as well.”
In the days leading up to the conference, German authorities expressed concern about the opinions they expected to be shared there. On X, Berlin mayor Kai Wegner stated that it was “intolerable” that the conference was happening in the Hauptstadt. “Berlin does not tolerate antisemitism, hatred, and incitement against Jews,” he wrote.
Activists behind the event are now considering taking legal action against police. According to Karin de Rigo (parliamentary candidate for the German branch of DIEM25 – a pan-European pro-democracy group) the protesters were treated like criminals. “They not only stormed the stage: They cut the power like we were transmitting violence,” she told reporters.
Source: DW News
