United against repression: DiEM25 condemns Berlin’s ban on Nakba commemorations

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 samidoun@samidoun.net 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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