On 21 April, Germany will deport me – an EU citizen convicted of no crime – for standing with Palestine | Kasia Wlaszczyk
GuardianMAR 25
European Rights Chief Flags Germany's Gaza Protest Limits
Above: A pro-Palestine protest in Berlin, Germany, on May 15, 2025. Image copyright: Mouafak Mahmalji/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Left narrative
Germany's authoritarian turn silences Gaza solidarity through deportation threats and weaponized "antisemitism" charges. Legal citizens face removal for participating in peaceful protests, while courts ignore due process. The state exploits Holocaust memory to justify repression, targeting Muslims and progressive activists. This manufactured crisis expands executive power while criminalizing legitimate dissent.
Right narrative
German police face escalating violence at Hamas protests — officers hospitalized, assaulted with bottles while crowds chant "From the River to the Sea." Courts obstruct security measures, enabling dangerous escalation. These gatherings exploit democratic freedoms to spread extremist hatred and violence against law enforcement.