Thousands of Germans in Berlin are protesting demanding an end to the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza
Tens of thousands took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday demanding an end to the war in Gaza. Police estimated that around 50,000 demonstrators participated in the march that started from Alexanderplatz and reached the Victory Column in the Tiergarten district. About 1,800 police officers were deployed to secure the demonstration.
The protesters chanted slogans like "Free Palestine" and held signs demanding an end to the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The demonstrators also called for a halt to the export of German weapons to Israel and urged the European Union to impose sanctions on it.
According to the German news agency dpa, the protest was organized by around 50 organizations and associations, including Amnesty International and the leftist party Die Linke. While the main demonstration remained peaceful, a smaller protest in the Kreuzberg district was dispersed after anti-Israel slogans were chanted. In another separate demonstration, about 100 people gathered in support of Israel and against anti-Semitism. Minor clashes occurred when the two sides met.
Germany is one of the largest arms suppliers to Israel, alongside the United States and Italy. In August, Berlin temporarily suspended its military exports directed to Gaza following international criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan for a new attack. Despite this halt, Israel resumed its military operations in the sector.
The protests in Berlin were part of a wave of widespread demonstrations across Europe. Thousands of people also took to the streets in Düsseldorf under the slogan "We will not forget Gaza — freedom for Palestine and all oppressed peoples." In Geneva, around 6,000 people demonstrated for peace, and similar protests were recorded in other European cities. The war that erupted after Hamas's attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, continues into its 23rd month, with the Gaza Health Ministry reporting over 65,100 deaths.