Protesters flooded Berlin on Saturday to support Palestinians and call for an end to the Gaza war.
Demonstrators shouted “free, free Palestine” and demanded relief for Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis.
Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the roughly 50,000 participants marching from Alexanderplatz to the Victory Column.
Protesters urged Germany to stop exporting weapons to Israel and called for European Union sanctions.
Around 50 organizations, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, organized the demonstrations. Police broke up one protest in Kreuzberg over anti-Israel slogans.
Counter-Protests and Clashes
About 100 people held a pro-Israel rally condemning antisemitism, German broadcaster RBB reported.
The two groups clashed briefly, though authorities have not confirmed whether protesters fought each other or police.
Protesters also gathered in other German cities, including Düsseldorf, under banners supporting Palestine and opposing oppression.
European Rallies and Gaza Conflict Background
In Geneva, around 6,000 people demanded an end to the Gaza war, Swiss broadcaster SRF reported.
Hamas triggered the conflict on 7 October 2023, killing nearly 1,200 people in southern Israel and kidnapping 251.
Israel has killed more than 65,100 people in Gaza over 23 months, according to the local health ministry.
Germany previously blocked EU criticism of Israel’s campaign but has recently expressed concern over civilian suffering.
Officials highlighted Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, signaling potential changes to Berlin’s policy toward the conflict.
