Pro-Palestinian protesters gathered Monday, August 18, 2025, near Germany's Reichstag parliament building and the nearby chancellery, denouncing Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags, held banners reading "Stop killing children," and chanted slogans including "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free." Some in the crowd shouted support for the Al Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, and yelled "Death to the IDF," referring to Israel's military. Berlin police deployed in force, with officers in riot gear and police dogs blocking approaches to government buildings. Dozens of protesters were detained after scuffles broke out. At one point, police cornered demonstrators and used vans to prevent them from fleeing the scene. The crowd was composed mainly of young, left-wing activists. Pro-Palestinian rallies have become frequent in Berlin since the start of the war, often drawing scrutiny over antisemitic slogans and the glorification of terrorist groups. German officials have pledged to step up enforcement at such demonstrations. In one violent incident captured on this video, a police officer was bitten by a protester after the man had been detained. The officer struggled to stop the protester from biting again before throwing him to the ground. The confrontation occurred as police moved to secure demonstrators near the chancellery.
Video Credit © Michael Kuenne/PRESSCOV via ZUMA Press