The Council of Europe's human rights commissioner, Michael O'Flaherty, has expressed concern about the German authorities' handling of demonstrations against the war in Gaza, reported dpa.
In a letter to German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt published on Thursday, O'Flaherty criticized restrictions on freedom of assembly and expression during protests on the Gaza war in Germany.
O'Flaherty wrote that there have been reports of "excessive use of force by police against protesters, including minors," which have sometimes resulted in injuries.
"Furthermore, protesters were allegedly subject to intrusive surveillance, online or in person, and arbitrary police checks," he wrote.
The human rights commissioner specifically pointed to demonstrations in Berlin, noting an example of a protest on May 15 that was limited to a stationary gathering.
To his knowledge, he said the Berlin authorities had also restricted the use of the Arabic language and cultural symbols at protests since February 2025.
O'Flaherty called on the German government to refrain from any measures that discriminate against people on the basis of their political opinion, religion, nationality or migration status.
Some demonstrations against the Gaza war in Germany have been marred by violent clashes, in which both participants and police officers have been injured.
Riots broke out at a rally in Berlin on Nakba Day, which commemorates the flight and displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in connection with the founding of Israel and the first Middle East war in 1948. Participants threw drink cans and other objects at police officers and sprayed them with red paint.
O'Flaherty said that while the authorities had justified restrictions on protests on the grounds of maintaining public order, the council's European Court of Human Rights establishes that freedom of expression "applies not only to 'information' and 'ideas' that are favourably received, regarded as inoffensive, or which leave one indifferent."
The Council of Europe is independent of the European Union. It was founded in 1949 to protect democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe.
(By Angelika Engler and Corinna Schwanhold)
- EC
- HR
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- Warns Germany
- Gaza demos
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
