Pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin escalate: violence and burning barricades

Pro-Palestinian protests in Berlin escalate: violence and burning barricades

A contribution from the perspective of a Berlin citizen:

last night there were violent riots in connection with the Middle East conflict in Berlin. In the districts of Neukölln and Kreuzberg, pro-Palestinian demonstrators built burning barricades and threw the emergency services with stones. The police were used with water cannons to control the situation. Residents helped free the streets from the burning objects. Some were shocked by the violence and described them as "absolute disaster". Photos and videos on social media show burning barricades and hear calls such as "Free Palestine" and "Israel terrorist". The riots in Berlin are probably related to the latest developments in the Middle East conflict, in particular the shelling of a hospital in Gaza.

The Berlin police have banned further demonstrations that are committed to Palestine and against Israel. This is done on the basis of the experiences with rousing and anti -Semitic statements as well as glorifying violence and acts in previous demonstrations. The prohibitions also apply to replacement events. For the next few days, however, further rallies are registered that are still checked by the police.

It is worrying that the topic of the Middle East conflict leads to outbreaks of violence and polarized demonstrations in Berlin. The city is known for its cultural diversity and its coexistence of different ethnic and religious groups. It is important that this diversity is respected and communicated peacefully with each other. Violence and hatred are not a solution and damage to the local community. It is time to build bridges and promote a constructive dialogue to preserve peace and living together in Berlin.

according to a report by www.tagesspiegel.de