Thousands march against Gaza war in Frankfurt after ban overturned

Thousands of people gathered in Frankfurt to protest against the Gaza war on Saturday after courts overruled the western German city’s ban on the demonstration.

Police reported approximately 11,000 attendees at the starting point in Hafenpark, surpassing the 5,000 originally registered.

The demonstrators, carrying Palestinian flags and protest posters, chanted slogans such as “Freedom for Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea – Palestine will be free.”

The latter phrase has been the source of legal disputes in Germany, with some cities prosecuting activists for using it, while some courts have overturned convictions.

The march, held under the banner “United4Gaza – Stop the Genocide Now!” was due to proceed from the east of Frankfurt to the Rossmarkt square in the city centre.

Police reported no major incidents or riots by the afternoon.

However, one speaker at the demonstration was detained after making comments trivializing the Holocaust and the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas on Israel, police said.

Officers arrested the man after he refused to comply with their order for him to end his speech.

According to the police, some people were also made aware of the ban on wearing masks. A small number of criminal offences were identified, including suspected incitement to hatred.

City authorities had previously attempted to ban the demonstration, citing it as a “potentially anti-Semitic gathering.”

The city said it was concerned about escalating tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli activists.

However, the organizer challenged the ban and won the case at the Frankfurt Administrative Court on Thursday.

The court ruled that the ban was unjustified based on the current police risk assessment, stating that a ban requires an immediate danger to public safety.

The Administrative Court in Kassel also reviewed the demonstration and decided on Friday that it could proceed. The court noted that police could focus on individual troublemakers to uphold the fundamental right to freedom of assembly for other participants.