With several other organisations, we stand against this attack on individual rights
DiEM25 has joined several other organisations and civil society groups in signing a letter by a coalition of progressive Palestinian, internationalist, and leftist groups and collectives in Berlin condemning the Berlin police’s decision to ban all public gatherings on Nakba Day. Read it in full below.
In an outrageous attack on Palestinian rights, memory and even identity, the police in Berlin, the capital of Germany, have banned all public commemorations of the 74th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, when over 750,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes and lands by Zionist militias. The Nakba is commemorated on 15 May, known as Nakba Day or the Day of Palestinian Struggle. Events are being organized throughout Palestine and globally.
The events banned by the police include two marches, two awareness-raising tents and a cultural gathering, scheduled for 13, 14 and 15 May. Samidoun Deutschland was the organizer of one of the cancelled marches, Palestine Speaks the organizer of another, and the cultural event was organized by a group of Palestinian community organizations. After the ban, an application for a memorial vigil for Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Aqleh — shot dead by Israeli occupation forces — was also prohibited as a “replacement for the banned events.” At the same time that Palestinians have been banned from commemorating the Nakba and 74 years of dispossession and struggle at the risk of arrest and prosecution, the Berlin Senate is providing public funding for an event on 15 May by Zionist groups that labels BDS and Amnesty International “anti-Semitic.” Berlin is home to one of the largest Palestinian communities in Europe, repeatedly labeled as “emotional” in the documents presented by the police to organizing groups as a reason for banning the Nakba commemorations.
This follows a series of attacks on Palestinian rights in Germany, many perpetrated by Berlin officials, including the banning of an event with Khaled Barakat (later ruled illegal by a German court), the political ban and deportation of Rasmea Odeh, and a series of repressive efforts directed at advocates for the boycott of Israel and justice in Palestine. Just two weeks ago, Berlin police also banned Palestine demonstrations on 29-30 April, on the same type of dubious basis. Read the following statement distributed by the affected groups in Germany — email us at [email protected] to add your support!
United against Repression – United for Freedom and Justice
May 15 is Nakba Day – a day of remembrance of the expulsion of Palestinians, a day of struggle against ongoing Zionist settlement colonialism, a day of unbroken Palestinian resistance and a day of international solidarity.
As has taken place and escalated over the past year, massive repression is being directed against Palestinian groups and demonstrations in Berlin. The authorities want to prevent thousands of people from pouring into the streets of the capital, the site of the largest Palestinian community in Europe. As a result, numerous demonstrations by various groups planned for next Sunday’s Nakba Day have been banned!
This outrageous assault on Palestinian memory and Palestinian lives is a racist act of discrimination. In their justifications of the bannings Berlin police repeatedly declare that Palestinians are “emotional” about the killing of their people and the confiscation of their land. The labeling of legitimate Palestinian anger and commitment to pursue justice in the face of over 100 years of colonialism as a “threat to public safety” is an abhorrent act of censorship.
As a flimsy reason for the bans, the authorities also accuse all demonstrations being held to commemorate the Nakba in Berlin, and even the entire Palestine movement, of anti-Semitism across the board. The face of the German repressive apparatus is clearly shown in these measures: all means should be used to prevent international solidarity from breaking out. Because the state fears a broad anti-imperialist movement that, beyond solidarity with the Palestinian liberation struggle, focuses on Germany’s complicity and its own imperialist interests.
We do not accept these prohibitions! Nakba Day is our day of struggle and we resolutely stand united against repression. As the German state and media seek to denigrate and divide us, we join forces and defend our common right to send a strong signal from the streets of Berlin to our brothers and sisters in Palestine and around the world: Our struggle for the Freedom is a just fight! Our fight against imperialism is a just fight! We call on all groups in solidarity with Palestine and those fighting against imperialism around the world to join us and to stand up to repression.
Long live international solidarity!
Signing Groups
Samidoun Netzwerk
F.O.R. Palestine
Kommunistischer Aufbau
Young Struggle
Revolutionärer Jugendbund
Migrantifa – Berlin
Linksjugend Solid Nord-Berlin
SDAJ – Berlin
Rot feministische Jugend
Palästina Antikolonial
Free Palestine FFM
Palästina Spricht
Klasse gegen Klasse
Gruppe Arbeiter:innenmacht
Acciones Berlin
Revolution
Kommunistische Organisation
Solidaritätsnetzwerk
Internationale Jugend Berlin
FACQ
Palästinakomitee Stuttgart
Netzwerk Freiheit für alle politischen Gefangenen
ATIK (Konföderation der Arbeiter*innen aus der Türkei in Europa)
YDG (Neuer Demokratische Jugend)
Yeni Kadin (Neuer Frau)
BDS Deutschland
Kampagne Rise Up 4 Rojava
International Supporters
Europe
Alkarama (Movimiento de mujeres palestinas)
Collectif Palestine Vaincra
Secours Rouge Toulouse
International Jewish Antizionist Network IJAN
Jewish Voice for Labour (UK)
Jewish Network for Palestine
Jeunes pour la Palestine – Nantes
CAPJPO-Europalestine
Classe Contre Classe
Secours Rouge
Palestinian Youth Movement Sweden
Europe Network for Justice and Peace in the Philippines
April 28 Coalition for Migrants and Refugees Rights and Welfare
Union Juive Française pour la Paix
Plate-forme Charleroi-Palestine
Revolution Permanente
Dutch Scholars for Palestine
Revolutionaire Eenheid
Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle
Al Yudur – Juventud Palestina
Col·lectiu Intifada
Jeunes Communistes 13
DiEM25
Brazil
Juventude palestina – Sanaúd
CSP-Conlutas
Frente Palestina Livre
Centro cultural palestino Aljaniah
Partido Comunista Brasileiro – PCB
Partido Socialista dos Trabalhadores Unificado – PSTU
Partido Socialismo e Liberdade / Movimento Esquerda Socialista
União da Juventude Comunista – UJC
Liga de Parlamentarios por Al-Quds
Unidade Popular pelo Socialismo – UP
Monitor do Oriente
Amigos de Palestina
Fórum Latino Palestino
Articulação Internacional Julho Negro
Iniciativa Direito à Memória e Justiça Racial
Comitês Islâmicos de Solidariedade
Instituto de Estudos e Solidariedade para Palestina – Razan Al Najjar
Movimento pela Libertação da Palestina – Ghassan Kanafani
Lebanon
Palestinian Chess Forum – Shatila camp
Palestinian Cultural Club – Beirut
Palestinian Arab Cultural Club
The Naqab Center for Youth Activities – Burj Al-Barajneh Camp
North America
Socialist Action / Ligue pour l’Action socialiste
Within Our Lifetime — United for Palestine
Just Peace Advocates
GPM – GTA Palestine Movement
Freedom Road Socialist Organization
Canada Palestine Association
Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition
Committee of Anti-Imperialists in Solidarity with Iran
International League of Peoples’ Struggle
Friends of the Filipino People in Struggle – Coast Salish Territories
Oakville Palestinian Rights Association
Palestinian Youth Movement
Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
April 28 Coalition for Migrants and Refugees Rights and Welfare
Canadian BDS Coalition
National Lawyers Guild International
Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians
Canada Philippines Solidarity for Human Rights
Gabriela BC
Sulong UBC
Human Rights 4 All Saskatchewan
Palestine Solidarity Network Edmonton
Edmonton Small Press Association
Friends of Sabeel North America
Migrante BC
Palestinian and Jewish Unity – Montreal
Peace Alliance Winnipeg
Justice for Palestinians, Calgary
Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid Victoria Canada
Niagara Coalition for Justice
US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
Labor for Palestine
Greater Toronto 4 BDS
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