German police raids pro-Palestine activists' homes
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The men who were robbed of their mobile phones, laptops, and other data storage devices range in age from 18 to 40 years and are suspected of "displaying banned symbols."
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Police officers on duty during a raid stand in front of an appartment building in Stade, Germany on September 26, 2023. (AP)
Germany's police have searched the houses of five pro-Palestine activists in Berlin in their latest move to squash dissent against "Israel" and the war on Gaza.
On Monday, German officials said that the seized residences were located around the capital.
The police and public prosecutor's office said that the five individuals whose houses were raided are accused of committing criminal offenses "through allegedly pro-Palestinian motivated activities," such as making internet messages with "anti-semitic content."
The men who were robbed of their mobile phones, laptops, and other data storage devices range in age from 18 to 40 years and were claimed to be suspected of "instigating violence through online remarks", as well as "displaying banned symbols. "
They are being investigated to discover the authorship of social media posts and linked networks in the pro-Palestinian scene since the war on Gaza began.
Germany convicts pro-Palestine activist for 'From River to Sea' chant
Ever since the war on Gaza began, Germany has made efforts to quash any pro-Palestine sentiment, even targeting slogans such as "From the River to the Sea", and charging those who use the chant, which is seen as "anti-Semitic".
This has been seen by many critics as a clear attempt to conflate anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, thereby suppressing pro-Palestinian protests as "anti-Semitic".
In August, a Berlin court convicted pro-Palestine activist Ava Moayeri, a 22-year-old German-Iranian national, for the "crime" of leading the chant "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," back in October.
The presiding judge, Birgit Balzer, ordered Moayeri to pay a 600 euro fine. While the 22-year-old's defense team argued that the conviction was a violation of free speech, the judge rejected Ava's argument, exhibited by chants of expression against injustice in Gaza and for peace in the Middle East.
In this context, Balzer said the chant was particularly problematic and controversial in Germany, which considers support for the Israeli occupation a matter of "Staatsräson", or reason of state, as the nation bears responsibility and guilt for the Holocaust.
She further added that it was Germany's responsibility to ensure the safety of Jews in the country.
German courts are still examining the interpretation of the slogan, but keep alternating between more and less severe connotations.
However, previous testimonies showed the German government taking extreme steps to crack down on pro-Palestine sentiment, including detaining activists in their homes in the middle of the night.
Back in April, according to Hebh Jamal from ScheerPost, pro-Palestinian activists Said and Yasemin had German police burst into their homes in the middle of the night, searching their belongings and seizing their electronic devices.
German police detained a middle-aged woman in early August after she posted "From the river to the sea Palestine will be free" on social media.
Jamal believes that Germany is becoming an extension of the Israeli occupation, utilizing similar propaganda and psychological warfare methods to prevent solidarity with Palestinians.
