Man climbs Reichstag flagpole, swaps German flag for a Palestinian flag in Berlin

The climb

On Sunday, 8 November, a 22-year-old climbed the flagpole in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin. Tagesspiegel, citing police, put the time at 11:15, while tagesschau gave around 11:30. The mast stands on the Platz der Republik and flies the Flag of Unity, an official national monument to German reunification. The climber took the black, red and gold flag down, threw it to the ground and hoisted a Palestinian flag in its place. He was secured by a climbing harness at the top of the mast, which the official flag description puts at 28.5 metres, although several outlets gave 30 metres. The flag covers 60 square metres and was first raised on the night of reunification, 2 to 3 October 1990.

Supporters and detentions

Two men aged 20 and 32 stood at the foot of the mast and supported him from below. Tagesspiegel reports that they filmed the climb and that the group streamed it live on TikTok. Police spokesman Martin Halweg described their role to Tagesspiegel:

“Two accomplices stood at the foot of the mast and filmed the events.”

Halweg also said the climber repeatedly and loudly voiced his support for Palestine. Around 12:30 the climber came down on his own after roughly an hour and 15 minutes, and firefighters who had arrived with a ladder vehicle did not need to bring him down. Police and firefighters then removed the Palestinian flag, which was still flying at 12:30 according to Focus. According to Spiegel, the climber told Bild he acted in solidarity with Palestine.

Reports differ on the detentions. Tagesspiegel says all three men were temporarily detained to establish their identities, and that the 20-year-old and the 22-year-old were then taken to a police holding cell for identification procedures. Welt and Focus also describe three arrests. Tagesschau and RP Online say the two supporters were released after identity checks and a removal order, while the 22-year-old remained held. Spiegel reports that police arrested the climber and the 20-year-old, and that the 20-year-old was to be released after identification.

Investigation and claim of responsibility

The political security unit (Staatsschutz) of the Berlin State Criminal Police Office is leading the inquiry. The listed suspicions are defamation of the state and its symbols, communal property damage, a possible violation of the Berlin Assembly Act and trespass. Tagesspiegel reports that police also treat the action as an unregistered demonstration. According to Spiegel, the group Peacefully Against Genocide claimed responsibility for the action on Instagram. Spiegel notes that protests over the Gaza war and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip have recurred in Germany, and especially in Berlin, since the conflict began.

The flag itself

The Flag of Unity is an official national monument to German reunification, which was celebrated on 3 October 1990. Its 60-square-metre flag flies permanently from a 28.5-metre mast made of hot-dip galvanised shipbuilding steel. Tagesschau described the mast as nearly 30 metres high, and the Berlin police statement on the incident gave no separate height. Spiegel reported that the flag was first raised during a ceremony on the night of reunification. The Staatsschutz inquiry is ongoing, and the police have not yet announced any further steps.