Around 3,500 people join pro-Palestinian march through Berlin's government district

The march through the government district

Several thousand people took part in a pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel demonstration in Berlin's government district on Saturday afternoon. They gathered opposite the Chancellery under the title "United4Palestine - No Peace on Stolen Land" (German: "Vereint für Palästina - Kein Frieden auf gestohlenem Land"), for which the organisers had registered 3,000 participants. Police first estimated the crowd at about 2,000 people from 15:00 onwards, and later put the figure at about 3,500. Banners read "Staatsräson Völkermord" and "Schluss mit Besatzungsterror", and numerous Palestinian flags were visible. Chants included "Free Palestine, free Palestine", "Fuck you Israel" and "Palästina darf sich wehren mit Steinen und Gewehren".

The speeches at the starting point dragged on well beyond the plan, and the march only set off through the government district late in the afternoon. The route was changed: instead of heading to Potsdamer Platz, it went towards Alexanderplatz. A police spokesman told Tagesspiegel around 16:30 that the assembly had been undisturbed so far.

Speeches and a detained speaker

A small group of counter-demonstrators carrying Israeli flags shouted "Free Berlin from Hamas!" At the start of the rally at the Chancellery, one speaker called the "uprising" against the "illegal occupation" of Palestine "legitimate". Tagesspiegel reports that he is attributed to an Islamist organisation with roots in Turkey, whose leadership has direct contacts with Hamas. Police took him into custody to establish his identity. He has appeared at Palestine events for ten years, including in 2017 alongside Majed al-Zeer in Berlin. The Federal Interior Ministry classifies al-Zeer, who is currently considered underground, as Hamas's most important liaison in Germany and Europe, and a wanted notice has been issued for him.

A video posted on X by Bild reporter Iman Sefati captured participants chanting "Yalla yallah Intifada". The police press office said it had no knowledge of such chants as of 16:30.

Emde and the debate over her positions

Vanessa Emde, who won a direct mandate in Neukölln at the Berlin state election on 20 September, had called for taking part in the demonstration, and Bild reported that she attended. In an Instagram post she wrote:

Solidarity is not a crime. Freedom for Palestine. See you on the street. Now more than ever.

In the same post she warned of what she described as threats to people in Berlin:

If hate, intimidation, police batons and deportations threaten in Berlin, if people stand up for justice and freedom, then we will defend ourselves together.

Critics accuse Emde of not standing behind Israel's right to exist, and some classify her anti-Israel positions as antisemitic. The issue is sensitive in light of exploratory talks between the Linke, the Greens and the SPD, which began on Thursday and continue on Saturday.

Last year and this week's security operation

On 7 October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel and killed more than 1,000 people. The Israeli counteroffensive that followed has killed tens of thousands. Protests in Berlin have recurred since then. A demonstration with a similar title in October 2025 drew about 14,000 people, and it saw physical attacks, antisemitic signs and slogans, and around 30 arrests. At an Israel-critical demonstration on the previous Wednesday evening, there were clashes with police and arrests.

Several smaller demonstrations supporting Israel and opposing Islamist terror were also registered for Saturday in the city centre. The Berlin police deployed about 1,400 officers, including units from other federal states and the Federal Police.