Tens of thousands of people marched through central Berlin on Saturday in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
Protesters chanted “free, free Palestine” and demanded an end to Gaza’s humanitarian crisis caused by the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the crowd, which started at Alexanderplatz and moved toward the Victory Column.
Demonstrators urged Germany to stop sending weapons to Israel and called on the European Union to impose sanctions.
Fifty organizations, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, organized the demonstration. Police dispersed one pro-Palestine protest in Kreuzberg for anti-Israel slogans.
Counter-Protests and Tensions
About 100 people rallied in support of Israel and against antisemitism, German broadcaster RBB reported.
Scuffles broke out when opposing protesters met, though authorities did not immediately clarify whether clashes involved police intervention.
Authorities managed to separate the groups while monitoring both rallies closely to prevent escalation.
Solidarity Protests Across Europe
Thousands protested in Düsseldorf under the slogan “freedom for Palestine and all oppressed peoples,” showing widespread support.
In Geneva, 6,000 people marched for peace in Gaza, with other European cities holding similar demonstrations in recent weeks.
The Gaza war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people and kidnapping 251.
Israel’s military campaign has killed over 65,100 people in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which counts civilians and fighters together.
Germany, a major arms supplier to Israel, initially blocked EU criticism but now expresses growing concern over civilian suffering.
Officials recently highlighted the humanitarian toll in Gaza and called for careful evaluation of Germany’s military support policies.
