Protesters at the demonstration voiced their disapproval of Germany’s aggressive foreign policy and its provision of arms to Ukraine.
Thousands took to the streets of Berlin on Saturday for a “peace and freedom” rally to protest against what was described as Germany’s “belligerent” foreign policy and the country’s continued arms supplies to Ukraine.
The event was organized by so-called Querdenker (‘lateral thinking’) groups, a movement that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic to oppose the German government’s lockdown policies and its overall pandemic response. It has since attracted other government critics. Some German media outlets have categorized the movement as rife with conspiracy theorists or having connections to far-right groups.
Approximately 5,000 people registered for the march, according to the city police. Several local media outlets estimated the number of participants at 9,000, citing law enforcement figures. Many participants carried blue flags adorned with a white dove of peace, while others displayed banners and placards with slogans like: “No US missiles on our soil!” “No missiles against Russia!” “No arms shipments to Ukraine and Israel!” or “Peace talks!”
Some demonstrators also carried banners bearing the slogan “Create peace without weapons!” This phrase originates from the 1982 Berlin Appeal, a vocal petition drafted by two East German dissidents calling for disarmament.
Starting at Ernst Reuter Square in central Berlin, the demonstrators eventually reached Tiergarten Park for a rally attended by an estimated 12,000 people, according to police figures. Protesters demanded “regionality, direct democracy and limiting the power” of the government, which many claimed was filled with “absolute idiots.”
12.000 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Nach dem Schwenk der Kamera kann man bis ans Ende der Hardenbergstraße vom Ernst Reuther Platz gucken. Das ist 1km. Davor waren noch mindestens 4km Menschen, hinter uns kam noch mindestens 1km. Bei 5000 Personen pro km sind das 30.000, es waren aber mehr.— Jörg (@RuedemannJoerg)
Some of the demonstrators still sought government “responsibility” for what they believed were unfair lockdown policies during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Participants also demanded that Germany be “capable of peace instead of being ready for war” in an apparent reference to a statement in June by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius that the nation “must be ready for war by 2029” while advocating military reform and a “new form of military service.” The minister had previously made similar statements, citing the alleged threat posed by Russia in particular.
Live: Gigantische -Demo legt deutsche Hauptstadt lahm!
— direktdemokratisch.jetzt (@ddemokratisch1)
Some speakers at the rally urged Germany to withdraw from NATO. “We want a government that represents our interests and not that of the USA and big business,” one said, according to local media reports. Thousands of protesters reportedly remained at the rally site for several hours. An estimated 7,000 people were still demonstrating in the early evening, according to law enforcement figures.
Leute, schaut auf diese Stadt! In Berlin wird gerade Geschichte geschrieben. Die beste Querdenken Demo seit Aufzeichnung des Wetterberichts – GRÖSSER, BESSER und STÄRKER als je zuvor!
— Deutscher Schäferhund (@DeutscherSchfe3)
The event was largely peaceful, with only a few detentions, the police said, adding that most of those detained had violated the rules on banned symbols, such as the logo of the German Compact Magazine, which has been classified as extremist by the country’s domestic security service (BfV).
Some smaller counter protests organized by various left-wing groups were also held in the city on Saturday.