Arrests at Berlin's Palestine demo: tensions on Alexanderplatz!

Arrests at Berlin's Palestine demo: tensions on Alexanderplatz!

Last Saturday, July 13, 2025, there was a significant propalestinian demonstration on Alexanderplatz in Berlin. The occasion was the ongoing criticism of Israel's procedure in the Gaza conflict, which has become of importance since the devastating terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel. Around 150 people were originally published for the rally, but the number of participants grew up to 700, such as N-tv reported.

The demonstration took place under the motto "Solidarity with Palestine stops the Gaza Genocide", but the meeting authority only approved a static rally. This decision was confirmed by the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court. The reason for the limited framework is concerned about possible riots and the right to public security.

arrests and police presence

The police were on site with around 200 civil servants to monitor the event. During the demonstration, there were several arrests: four demonstrators, together with four passers -by who are said to have made insulting statements, arrested. When the arrest of two people who were suspected of incitement, the police were forced to use physical compulsion to control the subsequent participants, such as The Tagesspiegel reported.

The incidents also have a highlight of the current discussions in Germany about the limits of freedom of expression and the associated protest rights. According to Amnesty International are the restrictions for Palestine-Solidaric voices of considerable nature and limit the discourse spaces. There are reports that in many places exclamation, clothing and symbols with a Palestine cover were prohibited, including the Palestine flag at Berlin schools.

Freedom of expression under pressure

The debate about freedom of expression is becoming increasingly emotional. Critical voices regarding Israeli and German government policy are exposed to increasing criminalization. Amnesty demands that universities can act as rooms for open debates without having to fear repression. This situation shows that a fine ditch is between legitimate expression of opinion and the rapid rhetoric, especially if anti -Semitic and antimusable statements are often deficiently separated from each other.