Mayor Igel's support: attack on press freedom in Berlin?

Mayor Igel's support: attack on press freedom in Berlin?

In a controversial statement, Berlin Mayor Oliver Igel (SPD) praised the Left Party for its initiative against the Internet magazine Apollo News in Berlin-Treptow. At a meeting on October 7th, which took place in collaboration with the “Association of Antifascists,” participants called for “kicking on the buttons of right-wing media” and “driving right-wing ideas out of people’s heads.” Igel was asked in the district assembly whether he would condemn the attack on the Apollo News editorial team. However, he expressly supported the initiative and described it as positive to stand against media that, in his opinion, “deliberately spread disinformation” and “degrade the human dignity of individuals”. Critics see these statements as a potential threat to press freedom and interpret the Left Party's formulations as a latent call to violence.

The Left Party published the address of the Apollo News editorial office on a leaflet, raising concerns about possible violence. The editorial office had previously been the target of property damage. FDP politician Wolfgang Kubicki spoke of a “disgusting call for violence,” and the German Union of Journalists (dju) also condemned the campaign as an “attack on freedom of the press.” Interior Senator Iris Spranger (SPD) joined the criticism and spoke out clearly against the initiative. The state security agency has already started an investigation.

Deepening the debate about freedom of the press

The incidents in Berlin highlight the generally tense situation regarding press freedom in Germany. This is defined as the freedom of the media from government intervention and economic pressure. In addition to censorship and media synchronization, the important aspects also include repression and violence against journalists. The annual index from “Reporters Without Borders” shows that Germany will rank 11th out of 180 countries in 2025, with 83.85 points. This is one place lower than last year, indicating increasing brutality against journalists.

Violence against journalists has increased in Germany since 2019, with 89 documented incidents in 2024, with most attacks related to demonstrations. In an international comparison, press freedom in the USA ranks 57th, which also represents a worrying deterioration. Here, the US government under Trump is making critical cuts that make access to information more difficult for journalists.

Reactions and outlook

The development in Berlin could serve as a wake-up call for a broader discussion about the limits and protection of press freedom in Germany. While the constitution (Article 5) guarantees external freedom of the press, this is not absolute and has limits such as the protection of minors or personal rights. The social debate about the dissemination of information and its political implications therefore remains of central importance.

The current events in Berlin make it clear that the debate over press freedom is not only of great relevance historically, but also in the present. With the intervention of state security, it is now expected that the legal and social consequences of these developments will be closely monitored and discussed.