Protesters opposing Israel's military operations in the Gaza Strip were arrested en masse in front of the German Chancellery.
According to the daily newspaper Bild and other outlets on August 20 (local time), Berlin police arrested 188 people and forcibly dispersed the protesters who staged a surprise demonstration in front of the Chancellery on the evening of August 18.
The protesters, who had gathered online, chanted the name of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and shouted anti-Israel slogans such as "Israel will not exist" and "October 7 is a new victory."
Sinwar was the mastermind and leader of Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and was killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip in October last year.
Police announced that they have launched investigations into 183 of the participants on charges including the use of unconstitutional or terrorist organization symbols and assaulting police officers.
Since June, pro-Palestinian supporters have used a protest camp set up in front of the Chancellery as a base for unregistered guerrilla demonstrations. When the camp was first established, police ordered the tents to be relocated due to noise concerns, but the court blocked the order.
German authorities strictly prohibit slogans that deny Israel's right to exist. Since November 2023, right after the outbreak of the Gaza war, the pro-Palestinian slogan "From the river to the sea" has also been considered a symbol of the terrorist organization Hamas and is subject to criminal prosecution.
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