Around 50,000 people marched through central Berlin to show solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.
Protesters chanted “free, free Palestine” and demanded an end to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the demonstrators and maintain order during the march from Alexanderplatz to the Victory Column.
Organizers, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, coordinated the rally, though a Kreuzberg protest was broken up over anti-Israel slogans.
Demonstrators called on Germany to halt arms exports to Israel and urged the European Union to impose sanctions.
Clashes and Counter-Rallies Occur
About 100 people rallied in support of Israel and against antisemitism, according to RBB reports.
The pro-Israel group encountered pro-Palestinian demonstrators, leading to isolated scuffles between protesters and possibly with police.
Authorities are still clarifying whether clashes involved protesters only or interactions with law enforcement during separation efforts.
Gaza Protests Spread Across Europe
Thousands of people protested in Düsseldorf under the slogan “we will not forget Gaza — freedom for Palestine.”
In Geneva, around 6,000 people demonstrated for peace and an end to violence in Gaza.
Other European cities also reported recent pro-Palestinian demonstrations demanding international attention.
The war began on 7 October 2023 when Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing nearly 1,200 civilians and kidnapping 251 people.
Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza has killed over 65,100 people, according to the Health Ministry, without distinguishing civilians from fighters.
Germany, a major arms supplier to Israel, previously blocked EU criticism of the blockade but now shows some concern for civilian suffering.
Government officials voiced alarm over Gaza’s humanitarian impact, signaling a cautious reassessment of Germany’s policy toward Israel.
