Around 50,000 people filled Berlin’s streets on Saturday to support Palestinians and condemn the Gaza conflict.
Protesters shouted “free, free Palestine” and demanded an end to Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the crowds marching through the German capital’s downtown area.
Demonstrators urged Germany to stop exporting weapons to Israel and called for EU sanctions against the country.
Berlin, alongside the US and Italy, remains a key arms supplier to Israel despite growing domestic criticism.
Protesters gathered at Alexanderplatz before marching toward the Victory Column in Tiergarten, waving flags and carrying banners.
Political and Civil Groups Join Calls
About 50 organisations, including Amnesty International and the political party Die Linke, backed the Berlin demonstration.
Police broke up one protest in Kreuzberg after anti-Israel chants escalated tensions.
Meanwhile, around 100 people rallied in support of Israel and against antisemitism, according to broadcaster RBB.
Small clashes erupted when pro-Israel and pro-Palestine groups encountered each other, though police intervened to separate them.
Germany temporarily halted some arms exports to Israel in August amid backlash to Netanyahu’s military strategy.
Critics argue that Berlin must reevaluate its policies, especially regarding Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and military escalation.
Europe Sees Widespread Mobilisation
Thousands demonstrated in Düsseldorf under the banner “we will not forget Gaza — freedom for Palestine and all oppressed peoples.”
In Geneva, 6,000 people demanded an end to the war, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported.
Other European cities also hosted Gaza solidarity marches in recent weeks, reflecting growing international pressure.
The conflict erupted after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing nearly 1,200 civilians and kidnapping 251.
Israel’s military campaign has since killed more than 65,100 people in Gaza, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported.
Germany, long a defender of Israel within the EU, recently expressed doubts over its position on the Gaza war.
Government officials acknowledged concern for Gaza’s civilians while continuing to navigate tensions within Europe’s diplomatic framework.
