WerteInitiative – jüdisch-deutsche Positionen on the new freedom of assembly act of the State of Berlin
The streets of the federal capital Berlin are repeatedly the scene of episodes that stretch the limits of freedom of expression to the extreme and sometimes also overstep them. The new Berlin freedom of assembly act is intended to do justice to this challenge. For years, events characterised by hatred, such as those on the occasion of „Quds Day“, have filled us with great concern. Supporters of the Iranian mullah regime demonstrate on that day. Ostensibly it is directed against the existence of the Jewish state of Israel – in truth, however, they are demonstrating for an Islamo-fascist society modelled on the mullahs.
Elio Adler, the chairman of WerteInitiative – jüdisch-deutsche Positionen: „We particularly welcome a novel formulation in the new assembly act which makes it possible not only to assess an individual assembly in legal isolation, but to place it in the context of national or international campaigns. This does not automatically ban the Quds march, but it does define more clearly the criteria necessary for that.“
Protecting the high good of freedom of expression also means defining its limits. The formulation mentioned is therefore forward-looking, since it takes account of the new character of transnational campaigns, which is to be expected to an increasing degree in future. With the formulation chosen in the act, Berlin has assumed a pioneering role throughout Germany.
