Jewish association „WerteInitiative“ calls for careful examination of bans on the anti-Israel assemblies marking the anniversary of the founding of the state.
Berlin, 10.05.2022 – On the weekend of 13-15 May, numerous anti-Israel rallies have been registered across Germany. The occasion is the anniversary of the founding of the state of Israel. In view of the serious antisemitic riots on the so-called „Nakba Day“ (Arabic „catastrophe“) in 2021, WerteInitiative calls on the assembly authorities nationwide to examine possible bans intensively. In recent weeks there have already been anti-Israel demonstrations with antisemitic incidents across Germany. The successful prohibition order in Berlin for the demonstration of 29.04.2022 should serve as a model nationwide. Should a ban not be possible, WerteInitiative calls on the assembly authorities to rule out antisemitic chants and statements by means of conditions. A sufficient number of officers with the relevant language skills must be able to recognise antisemitic slogans on the spot. If these are punishable, they must be reported. Elio Adler, chairman of WerteInitiative, comments on this: „In the end it is the officers on the ground who have to recognise what is happening before their eyes. To prevent and prosecute hatred of Jews they need the full motivation and backing of their superiors.“ However, banning demonstrations is not a solution on its own. Organisers are often groups or actors that repeatedly hold antisemitic demonstrations. Some of them are close to the terrorist organisations Hamas and PFLP . For these terrorist organisations and their proxy organisations, WerteInitiative renews its demand for a ban on activities in Germany. At various demonstrations in recent years, both participants in the protests and the police themselves have obstructed free press work. We therefore call on the police nationwide to enforce the fundamental right of press freedom at demonstrations.
