Berlin, Germany - October 06, 2024

The crackdown on pro-Palestinian demonstrations in Germany amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has raised concerns about freedom of expression, with authorities increasingly targeting individuals showing solidarity with Palestinians over the past 12 months, labeling it as anti-Semitic.

Oyoun, a cultural center in Berlin catering to marginalized communities, saw its funding cut following an event held last November.

The Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist group critical of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territories, and numerous other artists sharing similar views have had their events canceled.

Videos depicting police violence against pro-Palestinians are circulating on social media, while leading media outlets in the country face accusations of bias.

International criminal lawyer Nadija Samour is defending many of those arrested for supporting Palestine.

Germany's deep sense of guilt over the Holocaust more than eight decades ago drives a perceived moral duty among many Germans to safeguard the Jewish people and their homeland, raising concerns about potential compromises on the human rights of others.

While the German government supports a Middle East ceasefire, it has cautioned against any acts of anti-Semitism at home. However, Berlin's chief Rabbi said he believes more action is necessary.

Police reports indicate that there have been over 3,200 anti-Semitic criminal offenses nationwide since the start of the year, including an attack on the Israeli Consulate General in Munich in September.

Yet many argue that the government's definition of anti-Semitism, which they adopted from the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, or IHRA, is flawed.

Germany's arms exports to Israel, which reached over 360 million U.S. dollars in 2023 – a tenfold increase from 2022– have recently slowed down due to international legal challenges. The escalating conflict in the Middle East reverberates through German society, forcing the nation to grapple with its historical legacy while navigating the complexities of the present.

Shotlist:
Berlin, Germany - Oct 6, 2024:
1. Various of members of Oyoun, cultural center catering to marginalized communities, holding event, audience;
2. Various of Oyoun members talking;
Berlin, Germany - Oct 5, 2024
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Louna Sbou, co-founder, Oyoun Cultural Center (starting with shot 2):
"So we were defunded in December 2023 for hosting an event with Jewish voices that might not be the ones that the government wants to highlight.";
4. Various of pro-Palestinian rally;
Berlin, Germany - Oct 5, 2024
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nadija Samour, German-Palestinian lawyer (starting with shot 4/ending with shot 6):
"It goes through the entire societal spectrum, I would say, artists, journalists, students, [and] certain activities considered 'anti-semitic'. There is like very concrete repression.";
Berlin, Germany - Oct 6, 2024
6. Various of posters, police at scene;
Berlin, Germany - Oct 7, 2024
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Yehudah Teichtal, community rabbi, Jewish Community in Berlin:
"Much has been done, but it is far from enough. The federal government, in particular the state government, are [is] really trying to strengthen Jewish life. However, it is not enough when an anti-semitic attack occurs. There has to be clear message that those were not be tolerant has no place here in the society.";
FILE: Berlin, Germany - Sept 1, 2020
8. Various of German presidential residence Bellevue Palace, German national flag, European Union flag;
Berlin, Germany - Oct 5, 2024
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Nadija Samour, German-Palestinian lawyer (starting with shot 8/ending with shot 10):
"The IHRA definition of antisemitism is basically a definition that conflates the criticism of Israel or anti-Zionism with anti antisemitism. When you criticize Israel, that is an antisemitism act.";
Berlin, Germany - Oct 6, 2024
10. Various of pro-Palestinian rally;
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Mary Gillian, resident (starting with shot 10):
"When Palestinian people and Lebanese people here are phoning every day for dead cousins, dead sisters, dead mothers, these people are grieving but also have a right to a just anger against Germans' complicity in this genocide.";
12. Various of pro-Palestinian rally.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland]