Monday, March 3
Refugee protest camp returns to Oranienplatz for March
The first tents appeared early Saturday morning as Oranienplatz, in the heart of Kreuzberg, was once again occupied by demonstrators protesting deportations and Germany’s restrictive immigration policies. The Berlin Administrative Court has granted official permission for the protest, which will run through March under the motto: “O-Platz lebt! Stand together – for refugee, migrant rights, and climate justice.”
Oranienplatz was chosen for its historical significance in refugee resistance. In 2012, a similar camp was set up after the suicide of Iranian refugee Muhammed Rahsapar in a Würzburg refugee shelter. Protesters marched 600 km from that city across Germany, stopping at refugee camps before reaching Berlin. Their occupation of Oranienplatz lasted until 2014, when it was cleared in a large police operation.
Rather than adopting more progressive refugee policies in the decade since the clearing of the Oranienplatz camp, the organisers argue that Germany has regressed, with vulnerable migrants facing an increasingly repressive situation. The protest aims to provide refugees with information, assistance, and support.
The official demands of the camp, listed on their website, are:
- The closure of all refugee camps in Germany—better housing solutions and human rights protections.
- An immediate halt to deportations.
- The abolition of the residency requirement.
- The elimination of the refugee payment card.
- No profit at the expense of refugees.
- Recognition of asylum claims based on the climate crisis.
